


The Sheriff and The Sharpshooter

by NotTilItsFinished (Pyrate0804)



Series: The Flame and The Frontier [2]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: A lot of Minor Character Death, Alternate Universe- No Curse, Cunnilingus, Depends on how you look at it, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, GNC Nicole Haught, Gender Issues, Identity Issues, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, Or Maybe Trans Nicole Haught, Smut, Strap-Ons, Wild West AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:09:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 62,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21973318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pyrate0804/pseuds/NotTilItsFinished
Summary: The one where Cole finally found a home, but then had to fight to keep it.The long awaited sequel to The Bandit and The Barmaid.
Relationships: Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, Wynonna Earp/Doc Holliday
Series: The Flame and The Frontier [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1581709
Comments: 86
Kudos: 190





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, when I set out to write this sequel, the first thing I did was go back and re-read ‘The Bandit and The Barmaid' (If you haven't read it, you should probably go do that before continuing here. I can't imagine this will make a lot of sense without it.) Naturally, I found some mistakes and typos and grammar weirdness, but I also noticed how much my writing has evolved in the last year and a half. That being said, while this story may read a bit differently, all the same elements are there. There’ll be comedy and tragedy, and action and romance; of course, some fluff and smut too. There’ll be births and deaths, and all the life that happens in between. Ultimately, my point is, I hope you enjoy this one just as much as the last one… and who knows, the show got a season 3, and a season 4, so maybe this story will too…

Being married to Waverly Earp, was everything Cole dreamed it would be, and more. They ate together and slept together, and then, they woke together and ate together again. That might seem like a bland way to describe their lives, but truly, just having Waverly by her side was everything to Cole. The simplest, most domestic, things were the ones that she cherished the most. She could actually feel herself falling deeper in love with Waverly; every day, with every tender ‘goodnight,’ and husky ‘good morning.’

Of course, they did other things together too. When they weren’t sleeping or eating, Cole and Waverly talked or played games or simply enjoyed each other’s company. Some nights, they stayed up late so that Waverly could teach Cole how to read, but they had just as many nights where they stayed up for… other reasons. Cole cherished those nights too; spending hours loving Waverly, and being loved by her, had a way of making Cole feel indestructible.

If Cole’s past was anything to go by though, she should have been expecting something to come along and put a bump in their road. When it did, that trouble blew in on the harsh, winter wind; _literally_. The little two room cabin that Waverly had built for them made a great shelter against water; easily keeping them dry in the late fall rains. It was a different story when winter started whipping in from over the mountains. The thin siding didn’t provide much insulation to start with, but when the wind rushed against it, it was almost as if the walls weren’t there at all. Burning red hot, the woodstove could barely keep their living area warm enough to live in. Some of that ambient heat drifted into their bedroom, but Cole could still see her breathe when she tried to fall asleep at night.

Needless to say, they couldn’t afford to order another woodstove anytime soon either. Waverly had gotten lucky getting her hands on the stove they had; trading away a year’s worth of grazing rights on the homestead’s empty fields, for a ‘slightly-used’ stove. The Tate’s had done a good job keeping it up, so it was in excellent shape, but still, it just couldn’t compete with that cutting, winter wind. Cole figured, with her Deputy’s salary and the money Waverly brought home from Shorty’s, they could have enough saved by spring for another stove, but that would also be a few months too late.

After the third night in a row, of waking up to Waverly’s chattering teeth, Cole knew they couldn’t stay there another night. It was only the tenth of December; what would early-February feel like? They would have to come up with somewhere else to stay, at least for the rest of the winter. Figuring it would only be for a few months, Cole thought maybe they could just shack up in one of the rooms above Shorty’s until it was warm enough to move back into the house. When Cole suggested that though, Waverly had other ideas, and Cole nearly choked when Waverly said, “Well, that’s not very, uh, private… What if— what if we move into the main house here until spring. I mean, it’s not like there isn’t plenty of room…”

As always, Waverly had the right idea, the best idea; Shorty’s would be warm and dry, but there would be very little in the way of privacy, sharing their space with anyone else who happened to be passing through town. Staying in the main house on the homestead meant sharing with Wynonna instead though, and to be honest, Cole wasn’t sure which sounded worse. Wynonna’s teasing bordered on being hurtful at the best of times, and that snark was likely to get even sharper, now that Wynonna had announced that she was pregnant. It seemed Waverly was all for moving back into the main house though, claiming that she thought Wynonna would probably appreciate having someone around who knew how to cook. It took some back and forth, but ultimately, they decided to invite Doc and Wynonna down to their place for supper that evening, so they could discuss it all together.

Waverly really outdid herself with the meal too; a hearty ham, potato and cheese soup with hard, sourdough rolls to go with it. The bread seemed almost too hard at first, but then Waverly suggested dunking it in the soup. After only a moment or two of soaking, it was chewable, and delicious. The bread was tangy, and the cheese was soothing; the chunks of ham adding some much-needed salt, while the potato tied it all together. Not for the first time, Cole thanked her lucky stars that a woman like Waverly choose to love her.

It seemed Wynonna and Doc were pleased too, if the little appreciative noises coming from their side of the table were anything to go by. It was pretty comical, actually, listening to all their satisfied sighs and swallows, but Cole couldn’t really criticize them. She was pretty sure she’d made a few similar sounds herself; Waverly’s food was just that good. Of course, Waverly didn’t just let her food speak for itself, eventually asking each of them what they thought of the meal. Cole answered honestly, saying that it was some of the best food Waverly had ever made for her. Doc was quick to agree too, but Wynonna just grumbled into her spoon before shoving her mouth full once again. Cole didn’t understand a word of it, but obviously, Waverly spoke ‘Wynonna’ pretty well, as she causally replied, “Well, if Cole and I move into my old room for the winter, you’ll get cooking like this much more often.”

By the time Wynonna swallowed, there was a little sly smile on Waverly’s face, and that smile only turned more knowing when Wynonna eventually muttered, “yeah, I guess that’d be alright.” Coming from Wynonna, that was probably as close to enthusiasm as they were going to get, but it was only a few minutes before Wynonna was saying, “You know, I think I will like having you around more, baby girl… but don’t expect to carry on the way you two do here. Momma needs her beauty sleep…” Waverly laughed, a little snicker, and Doc nearly choked of his last bite of soup, but with the way Wynonna was looking at her, Cole knew she meant business. It wasn’t like Cole was expecting to _carry on_ every night, but three months of not getting to touch Waverly sounded… disheartening.

That seemed to be that however, because the next day, Cole found herself schlepping all their worldly goods from one house to the other. At first glance, Waverly’s old room was enough space, but only just; everything just had to have a specific spot, and they’d be fine. Naturally, that only lasted for the first week or two, and the more chaotic their room became, the more Cole started feeling cramped. She tried spending more time downstairs in the main living area, but with Wynonna’s wilder and wilder mood swings, that wasn’t a very good idea either. The last thing Cole wanted was to find herself in Wynonna’s crosshairs.

By mid-January, Cole was feeling downright squirrelly, but by then she was also spending more and more time at the Sheriff’s office. There had been a few break-ins in town, and Nedley had her in the office from dawn until dusk every day trying it figure out who was behind them. The businesses that had been robbed were ones that had closed up for the winter, so there wasn’t much to go on at first, but then the general store was hit, and it seemed the outlaws were growing bolder. Not only did they steal half Gray’s stock and raid his cash box, they tied Gray to a chair and made him watch as they carted it all off. That left Cole and Nedley with a witness, but by Gray’s account, he’d only been able to tell that the three men were, in fact, men. They’d covered their faces, of course, but Gray had heard each of them speak. He hadn’t gotten any specifics, like names, though; just a vague impression of where they might be hiding out. Apparently, one of the outlaws had said, “Come on, man… I wanna be back at the mine by morning…”

That little tidbit only narrowed down the possibilities so far though, as the hills to the west were riddled with caves and mines. There were probably two dozen different places they could have been talking about, and that was just counting the active mines. They’d be looking at more like a hundred places to hide if they counted all the caves in those hills. Obviously, the first place Cole and Nedley checked was the abandoned mine that Bobo had once used as a hideout, but to no avail. It was pretty clear that some sort of animal had taken up residence, as there were tracks everywhere. When they found a couple of small piles of animal bones in the second cavern, they decided not to venture any deeper inside.

Coming up short there, they started to systematically check all the active mines they knew off, but most of those claims were small; too small to warrant more than just one or two people working it anyway. There were a few tense moments here and there, as skittish miners sometimes shot first and asked questions later, but with claim jumping being a real possibility, Cole couldn’t blame those people for being cautious. At least after they declared who they were, things calmed down each time. Of course, every time that tension dissolved, Cole didn’t actually feel any relief from it; the men who were terrorizing Purgatory were still out there in the wind, and she had made it her mission to stop them.

In order to expand their search, Cole suggested they enlist more help and to her surprise, Nedley readily agreed. The next day, he temporarily deputized Pete and Kyle York, and then the day after that, he sent them off with orders to survey the abandoned claims to the south. He gave them explicit instructions to observe but not engage if they found the missing outlaws, and Pete and Kyle both seemed relieved by that. While the York’s were heading south, Nedley and Cole would head north instead. Of course, if they found the outlaws, Cole was sure they’d do more than just watch them.

For the first several days, both teams came up empty, finding only desolate, deserted places; places where no one had been in months, or even years. It seemed luck was on their side after all though, because eventually, Cole and Nedley came across somewhere that looked promising. At first, they almost rode right past it, but then Cole noticed a rickety mining shack half-hiding behind a stand of trees. As they got closer, she realized it was standing at the mouth a deep, river-cut canon. They dismounted then, knowing they could approach more cautiously on foot, and as they crept through the underbrush that proved to be especially… fortunate.

They’d barely gotten within range of the shack before the first shot rang out. It was wild, hitting the ground several feet in front of them, but Cole and Nedley both dove for cover, nonetheless. Obviously, it wasn’t just a warning shot either; not like the ones they’d gotten at a few of the other places they had visited, as it was only a few seconds before that first shot was quickly joined by several others. All those shots came up short too though, kicking up a line of dirt about ten feet away. Tucked safely behind a couple of larger trees, Cole and Nedley both returned fire then, and with the higher ground, the little shoot out was almost over before it got started. Of course, Cole still loathed killing, but in that moment, she didn’t hesitate to pull that trigger. Cole took down two to Nedley’s one, but that was only part of what bothered her. Even before the smoke had cleared, she was second guessing herself, thinking, ‘I had to kill them, right? They shot first… they’d have killed us both if they’d had the chance.’

Those thoughts didn’t offer much comfort, but Cole pushed past them anyway; they still had to search the property and make sure these were the men they were actually looking for. The shack was too small to hold much, but they checked it regardless. Naturally, all they found were a few of worn-out cots and some ratty clothes, but when they ventured down into the canon, they found almost everything that had been stolen from town, including most of the money that had been stolen from Gray’s cash box. They weren’t really prepared to bring everything back to town with them, but Cole did tuck the remaining cash in her saddle bag before they headed out, thinking that she’d have to come back the next day with a wagon for everything else.

When they returned to Purgatory late that afternoon, it was three cheers all around, but Cole didn’t feel much like celebrating. The entire ride back, all Cole could think about were the two men that she’d killed that day. She just couldn’t bring herself to enjoy that… need for death. As always, Waverly seemed to know exactly how Cole was feeling though, and before Cole could get swept into Shorty’s for a congratulatory drink, Waverly was dragging her away from the crowd instead. Cole went along gratefully too, as Waverly lead her to their already hitched wagon. It didn’t take much for Waverly to coax her up into the driver’s seat, and while Cole got herself situated with the reigns, Waverly tethered Jane’s lead to the back of the wagon.

It wasn’t long before they were making their way towards the homestead, and it seemed that the further they got away from town, the more calm Cole felt; Waverly’s warm body tucked into her side did have a way of pushing everything else out of Cole’s mind. By the time they reached the house, Cole almost felt human again and she actually smiled when Waverly waved her off towards the house, suggesting that Cole draw them a bath while she put Jane up for the night. The thought of sharing more of Waverly’s warmth was everything Cole wanted and more; especially because Wynonna and Doc had still been in town when they’d left. When privacy was at a premium, Cole would take ten minutes alone with Waverly, even if that was all she was going to get.

They spent much of the next hour completely uninterrupted, cuddling and kissing Cole’s guilt away. They talked when Cole needed to talk, and they just laid there together when she needed a minute to collet herself. She questioned and she cried, she rationalized and she sobbed, and Waverly just held her through it all. By the time the water had grown cold, Cole felt like she’d been shattered and then restored again, but as Waverly lead her out of the tub and right into some fresh, clean sheets, Cole couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather have putting her back together.

Of course, Waverly spent the next hour taking her part again, but this time it was in a most wonderful sort of way. Whispered praises and gliding fingertips, passionate kisses and slick, wet heat; those were the only things that crossed Cole’s mind for that hour, and it was _bliss_. She didn’t worry about her choices and how they affected other people. She didn’t think about the dead that haunted her. She didn’t think about any of the living either, but of course, eventually, those still living did make themselves known to her again. Wynonna’s voice finally broke Cole out of the trance she’d been in, but at least Wynonna didn’t seem upset when Cole heard her holler from the bottom of the stairs, “Hey, Lovebirds! We’re home!” Waverly’s attentions barely paused long enough for Cole to make sense of the words though, but she figured if she ended up tearing a whole in her own pillow trying to keep quiet, it would be worth it.

The next morning, reality returned, but after a night of comfort and lovemaking, Cole actually felt like she was ready to face it. Her long ride back out to the outlaw’s camp didn’t seem so daunting anymore, but when she got into town and realized she’d be making the trip with Kyle York instead of Nedley, she had to admit she was disappointed. It wasn’t that Kyle was a bad person or anything, Cole just found that she didn’t have much in common with him. After a few minutes of polite conversation, she tried to just sit quietly next to him in the wagon, and that seemed alright for a little while, but eventually, she started to feel uncomfortable. She could feel him looking over at her every few minutes, like he was trying to work up the courage to ask her something, but when the question never came, Cole just resigned herself to a long, awkward day.

Fortunately, they reached the outlaw’s camp by early afternoon, and with work to do, their awkwardness faded somewhat. It didn’t take long to get all the stolen stuff up from the bottom of the canon and into the bed of the wagon but then they still had three graves to dig. That took a lot longer. In fact, by the time they finished with the last one, it was much too late in the day to start back towards town. She’d planned for that to happen however; well, Waverly had planned, convincing Cole to take extra food and water along, just in case they got stuck. Kyle seemed a bit confused when she started to pull her pack down from the wagon, but Cole put him at ease when she explained, “We should just make camp here for the night and then leave in the morning. There won’t be enough of a moon tonight to try to make it back in the dark… Besides, it’s not like those three are gonna be using that shed anyway.” That made Kyle chuckle a little bit, but Cole had to physically shake herself out of thoughts like that. She felt morbid and tactless for even thinking it; much less saying such out loud.

Her discomfort only grew stronger when they made their way into the shack and she realized that she would probably have to sleep in one of the dead men’s beds. The only other option was the dirt floor, and with how cold it was likely to get, that was just asking for trouble. Of course, Kyle didn’t seem the least bit upset about it, but he also hadn’t been the one to gun those men down either. With the causal way he flopped down on the mattress, Cole wasn’t sure he would have cared even if he had been their executioner. His lack of conscience was just another reason to feel uncomfortable around him, but Cole tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. Everyone expressed themselves differently; maybe, he just wanted to seem brave.

Either way, Cole tried to put her own mind at ease as she laid down to sleep that night, thinking that at least this whole mess would be over soon. She managed a few fitful hours, but honestly, Cole was glad when sunlight started to worm its way inside the shack. She only waited a few minutes before she finally just got up and headed out of the shack to find somewhere to relieve herself. That was easy enough though, and before Cole knew it, she was rousing Kyle, shaking him a little bit as she said, “Hey, I’m gonna make coffee, want some?” He grumbled and rolled over, but Cole figured she’d just make him some and if it got wasted then so be it. Stoking up what was left of the coals from the night before, Cole put on enough water for both of them and then retrieved the coffee from of her pack.

It certainly wouldn’t be the best trail coffee Cole had ever made, but there was no way she was going to spend the time it took to make a proper fire. Luke-warm, mostly bland coffee would just have to do. It seemed that just the smell was enough to perk Kyle up though, and by the time he’d taken a few sips, he seemed almost eager to get back to town. They broke camp quickly enough after that; Cole dousing what was left of their fire, while Kyle moved their packs out to the wagon.

Their ride back to town seemed just as long as the day before, but at least this time, Cole managed to get Kyle talking. When she started probing him about his sawmill, he opened right up. It wasn’t surprising that he would be willing to talk about himself, but Cole didn’t mind. She just didn’t want a repeat of the day before. She’d had enough awkward silence for one week. Their conversation went along fairly easily after that; that is, until Cole figured out that the siding on her house had actually been made in Kyle’s mill. When she interrupted him to thank him, it was almost as if he didn’t know how to react, like he’d never been thanked for anything, ever.

Several awkward minutes passed, but eventually, Cole decided to ask Kyle about his love life, thinking it would good to just change the subject and forget it. That seemed to do the trick too, because Kyle light right up again, going on and on about his girlfriend, Stephanie Jones. Subsequently, Cole found herself trying not to grimace through the next two hours of, “Oh… and she’s really pretty… did I mention that?” and, “She’s sharp as a whip too, always got somethin’ funny to say…”

Of course, Kyle didn’t know that Cole had met Stephanie, more than once, and in Cole’s opinion, Stephanie was neither pretty, nor funny. That seemed a bit uncharitable though; Cole wouldn’t deny that Stephanie was physically attractive, if only in a superficial sort of way. It was when Stephanie opened her mouth that her true ‘beauty’ was revealed. What Kyle thought of as funny, was mostly just cruel defensiveness. Stephanie had a sharp tongue when it came to putting others down to make herself feel better. Her demanding, demeaning personality notwithstanding, Cole knew their relationship was none of her business. She certainly wouldn’t want Kyle or Stephanie judging her marriage to Waverly.

With that in mind, Cole kept her opinions to herself; Kyle seemed quite smitten, and she wasn’t going to ruin that for him. Instead, she just sat and listened as he prattled on, smiling to herself when her mind eventually wandered. Naturally, it drifted the way it always did; right to Waverly. Surely, when they got back into town, Nedley would release her for the day, and then Cole could go home for some more of Waverly’s cuddling, kissing comfort. She couldn’t think of anything she wanted more actually; especially after her restless night spent in a dead man’s bed.

Evidently, Cole shouldn’t have been so hopeful though. With the wagon weighed down, it was very slow going on their way back, and by the time they pulled up in front of the Sheriff’s office, Nedley had already gone home for the day. Cole took it upon herself then, to let all the theft victims know they could come by the next day and pick up their belongings. Kyle offered to help her, obviously, but she just wasn’t sure she could handle any more of his ‘company,’ so she said, “Don’t worry about it, Kyle. You go have a nice supper with Stephanie… this won’t take long, anyway.”

Thankfully, that was true too, as Cole had finished notifying everyone who needed to be notified in less than an hour. All the victims lived in town, so that was convenient, but it seemed as if everyone she went to was eagerly expecting her too. It wasn’t until she stopped by Gray’s that she figured out that Nedley had gone around and told everyone to expect her. It was a bit odd that Nedley had actually done that, but she figured he knew her well enough to know that she wouldn’t be able to head home herself without doing her duty to the people of Purgatory. The faith he put in her was, in reality, quite comforting. The fact that he trusted her so implicitly was something she would do her best to honor; the last thing she wanted was to disappoint him.

Even after that extra hour in town, it was still only just getting dark when Cole finally climbed down off Jane and led her into the homestead’s barn. Doc’s horse was there, in the stall on the end, and their shared mule was next to him, so Cole decided to just corral Jane into one of the stalls on the other side. She spent a few minutes pampering her girl, even though she knew that Pete had probably fawned over her the whole time she’d been gone. Simply brushing Jane down and feeding her some hay didn’t seem to be enough though, so Cole dumped a couple scoops of oats out for her before she headed off to the main house. As she exited the barn, Cole smiled when heard Jane snorting happily into her feed bucket, obviously enjoying her sweet snack.

Wynonna and Doc nodded to her from the couch when Cole came through the front door, but it was the smell drifting in from the kitchen that really caught her attention. Following her nose, she peeked around the corner into the kitchen, smiling when she found a big, hot crock of chili already steaming in the middle of the table. The sight alone was enough to make Cole melt, but then, she noticed Waverly standing at the sink, her hips shifting back and forth as she worked on whatever was in front of her. Cole couldn’t help herself then, pushing her way into the room without even pausing to set her stuff down; she was just that eager to feel that movement for herself.

Naturally, Waverly noticed her at the last second and turned into Cole’s arms just as their bodies met. Their lips met next, and the kiss left Cole feeling like Waverly had just saved her life. After a fairly gruesome twenty-four hours, Cole really needed the normalcy, the reassurance. Eventually, they had to part for air, but Cole didn’t pull too far away, instead resting her forehead against Waverly’s while she sighed contentedly into Waverly’s lips.

Their embrace could only last so long though; at least, without interruption. Instead of Wynonna stepping in to give them a hard time, it was Cole’s own stomach that betrayed her. The low, ominous, rumbling sound it made was immediately followed by a giggle from Waverly, but Waverly also didn’t miss a beat as she quickly ushered Cole to the table. Wynonna and Doc joined them a few moments later, and once they were all settled in, they tucked in.

As always, Waverly’s cooking was perfection; the chili was just the right mixture of beans and vegetables and spice. It was so hearty too, leaving Cole filled to the brim, in only one helping. When Waverly tried to spoon another serving into her bowl anyway, Cole chuckled as she said, “Oh, love… I couldn’t eat another bite.”

Waverly’s cheeky reply really caught Cole off guard, and she sputtered and choked when Waverly said, “Oh… Well, that’s a shame… I was planning on feeding you dessert too…” The low timbre of Waverly’s voice was unmistakable, and Cole instantly knew what Waverly had in mind. She couldn’t deny that the idea of burying her face in Waverly’s core was appealing, and she didn’t hesitate for a second when Waverly took her hand and started leading her towards the stairs; even with Wynonna grumbling and gagging behind her.

It was everything she wanted it would be, and more too. Tasting Waverly’s release, not once but twice, was the perfect way to top off her supper. That is, until Waverly started rooting around in their nightstand; then, Cole felt eager all over again. The sensation of Waverly sliding the leather up over her thighs always Cole made feel some sort of way though, and before Waverly could even get the straps settled into place, Cole was already flipping them over, so Waverly was on top. Waverly let out an adorable little squeak of surprise, but it broke off quickly when their bodies caught against each other for the first time. Cole groaned as well when the base of the shaft pressed against her in just the right way too. She scrambled to get the buckles tightened down over her hips then, starting to feel almost desperate; she _needed_ to feel Waverly sink down on top of her.

Only a few seconds later, that was happening too, and Cole found herself groaning all over again when Waverly took her in one go, quickly bottoming out on her lap. Of course, Cole couldn’t actually feel how tightly Waverly was wrapped around her, but she’d always had a vivid imagination. It wasn’t hard to imagine tight, wet heat, squeezing and clenching and driving her crazy. The pressure of Waverly’s weight on top of her helped too, as every time Waverly rose or fell over her lap, Cole felt the shift anyway. The base of the shaft gave her a perfect place to grind against. She was already pretty worked up from tasting Waverly’s release too, so it was only a few minutes before Cole was panting into Waverly’s mouth. It seemed that Waverly would need just a little more to follow her over the edge though, so Cole shoved a hand down in between them, intent on driving Waverly over the edge screaming if she could. If Wynonna got upset from the noise, she would just have to get over it.

It was a tight fit, but at the first brush of Cole’s fingertips, Waverly finally stiffened above her. All it took then was another glancing blow, and Waverly was unabashedly shouting her climax at the ceiling. The sound and sensation dragged Cole right along too, and she buried herself as deep as she could go before silently screaming through her own release. There was this beautiful moment of stillness as they started to come down, where they just stared into each other’s eyes, both drowning in their love for each other.

Before they could even catch their breaths however, there was a violent thumping from downstairs, and a shouted, “Oh… Come On!” Cole couldn’t help but snicker, thinking maybe she should feel bad for disturbing Wynonna, but when Waverly joined her, laughing harder than she was, Cole couldn’t even pretend to care. She would deal with whatever snarky shit Wynonna could dish out, especially if it meant she got to hear Waverly laugh like that.

The next morning was pretty rough too, Wynonna griping and complaining before she’d even reached the kitchen. Cole and Waverly were waiting for her though, piling the last few hotcakes on top of an already impressive pile in the middle of the kitchen table. It was an apology of sorts, and it seemed Wynonna took it that way too, but naturally, when she was done gorging herself, her teasing continued. Cole couldn’t help the way she grimaced either, when Wynonna finally said, “You know, Cole, with all the fucking you and Waverly do, you’d think she’d be pregnant by now too…”

Wynonna’s tone wasn’t especially harsh; her comment was clearly meant to be a joke, but bile quickly rose into Cole’s throat anyway. Obviously, Wynonna didn’t know how sensitive Cole would be to that particular jab. She didn’t know that Cole already felt guilty enough about not being able to give Waverly a baby. It was something she’d fretted about more and more over the last few weeks, ever since Wynonna had announced her own pregnancy. To her credit, Wynonna noticed how her words had affected Cole, and quickly changed the subject, but ultimately, the damage was done. By the time they were done eating, Cole felt like she might actually be drowning in the weight of her own worry.

Those worries had already gotten the better of her once too. Late one night the week before, Cole had even gone so far as to apologize to Waverly about it. Of course, Waverly wouldn’t hear it, claiming Cole was more than enough for her, that she didn’t need a baby to feel whole, but Cole could tell that wasn’t the _whole_ truth. Waverly didn’t come right out and say it, but the signs were pretty obvious. Several times since, Cole had caught Waverly staring at herself in the mirror, cradling her lower belly, like she was imagining what it would be like to be pregnant. The longing looks that Waverly gave Wynonna were pretty telling too, making Cole think that Waverly might even be jealous of her sister.

Coincidently, when Wynonna’s morning sickness started, that jealousy seemed to fade a little bit, but Cole figured that was only because Waverly was a little squeamish when certain bodily fluids were involved. Obviously, Waverly didn’t have a problem with blood; she always patched up Cole’s little scrapes and cuts like it was nothing, but something about the smell of vomit clearly turned Waverly’s stomach. Cole didn’t really blame Waverly for that; she wasn’t exactly fond of that smell either, especially when it became an almost daily occurrence.

Ultimately, Wynonna’s morning sickness only lasted a few weeks, thanks in part to the regimen of licorice-root tea that Tadewi had suggested. Tadewi should know though, as Cole came to find out that she had once been the best midwife of her tribe. After they had returned from Dodge, Cole had offered to help Tadewi get back to her tribe, but Tadewi had refused, telling Cole in no uncertain terms, that her place was in Purgatory. It seemed that she’d been right too, as her help with Wynonna morning sickness was just one, of the many ways, she’d helped the people of Purgatory.

At first, they’d had quite the time finding a place for Tadewi to stay, but then it was Waverly who had suggested the Perley Sisters. Greta and Maddie had taken Tadewi in without a second thought and had even set Tadewi up with her own room and a job. The Perley’s were the closest thing Purgatory had to a doctor, so they had plenty of work for her anyway. Over the last few months, Tadewi had settled in pretty well with them too; the Perley’s knew some of her language, so they’d made fast friends, and in turn, Tadewi had begun to learn more English. Every time Cole saw them in town, she smiled; it was nice to see the fruits of her labor blossoming right in front of her.

Tadewi wasn’t the only one blossoming though, as only three months into her pregnancy, Wynonna popped, and her belly seemed to grow larger and larger with each passing day. Understandably, Wynonna’s general mood soured further then, her complaints and criticisms gaining a razor’s edge. With that development, Cole was all too happy when spring finally sprang. The first day it was warm enough, she hired Pete to come out to the homestead and help her put plaster up over their rough-timber walls. She’d worked hard that day, but she laughed so hard too. Pete was as witty as he was handy, and while his jokes were a bit crude in nature, and only got cruder as the day went on, Cole didn’t exactly mind. Mostly, it was just nice to be treated like ‘one of the boys.’ It helped that he didn’t say anything about Chrissy specifically, or Waverly, for that matter. Instead, he kept his innuendos vaguer, more implied, but Cole was still relieved to discover that Pete wasn’t that type of man to demean women, even when it was just the two of them.

Putting up the plaster was just the first step in Cole’s winterizing process though. She’d scrimped and saved all winter, and she could finally afford to order a nice, new woodstove from Gray. It would take a few weeks to arrive, but Cole figured when it came in, she would hire Pete to help her put that in too. Of course, being a good friend, Pete refused her money both times, but when Cole offered to have him and Chrissy over for supper one night, as a thank you, he didn’t turn her down; especially when she promised not to cook. Put Cole in front of an open fire and she could make you a nice supper, complete with all the trimmings, but she just hadn’t quite mastered cooking on top of the woodstove yet. The last two times she’d tried to make supper for all four of them, she’d burned the meat beyond recognition, and the potatoes too.

It was less than a month before Cole had the new woodstove installed, and even though it was still getting fairly cold at night, she and Waverly immediately moved back into their little place. At that point, Wynonna’s mood swings were so wild that not even Waverly could keep up anymore. Cole did feel a little guilty about leaving Doc alone with Wynonna, but that didn’t last long either. Waverly proved to be a good distraction from it, as Cole found herself naked and sweaty and satisfied, pretty much every night for a month. Not that she would actually complain about that; making love to Waverly was one of her favorite things in the world. She loved working Waverly up until she came apart all over their bed. She loved listening to Waverly come down, panting and cursing as she tried to get control over her breathing, and her body, all at once.

Obviously, Waverly wasn’t complaining either. In fact, most nights, Waverly was the driving factor behind their lovemaking. It seemed Waverly loved making love to her too, taking great delight in making Cole scream her name. That penchant for pleasure got them in trouble more than once though, like the night when Cole had made Waverly scream so loud that they’d woken Wynonna up, all the way over in the main house. The morning after that, Cole had actually hidden her face all through breakfast, as Wynonna didn’t even let a full mouth stop her teasing. Cole knew what a tough-go Wynonna was having though, so she just bit her tongue and went on.

That tough-go eventually came to a head too, about seven and a half months into Wynonna’s pregnancy. The first time Wynonna went into labor, Cole rushed off to collect Tadewi while Doc and Waverly stayed with her, but by the time Cole got back, Wynonna’s contractions had stopped. Wynonna certainly wasn’t happy about that, but there’s was nothing to be done about it either. A couple of days later, when Wynonna’s contractions started again, Cole rode out to get Tadewi again, but when they got back that time, Tadewi just shook her head, explaining in her broken English, that the labor was false. Apparently, sometimes stress could cause the body to react that way, and so Wynonna was restricted to the homestead after that. She wasn’t very happy about that either; complaining more and more each day, clearly loathing her apparent ‘imprisonment.’

Thankfully, that only lasted a week, before Cole found herself riding off to get Tadewi one last time. It was a long day, harder for some than others, but Alice Michele Earp was born that night; ten fingers, ten toes, and as healthy as a horse. She had quite the set of lungs on her too; her loud cries waking Cole in the middle of that first night. She knew she would never say anything to Wynonna about it though. Turnabout was fair play, after all. She’d simply tried to go back to sleep instead, but when she realized she was alone in bed, she got up to figure out where Waverly had gotten off to. She found her wife staring wistfully out the front window in the living area, sniffling and wiping her eyes. Cole knew that Waverly was still harboring some pretty strong feelings about pregnancy and children, but she thought Waverly would have come to her about it, eventually anyway.

It seemed that Waverly was trying to suffer in silence though, and Cole knew she just couldn’t have that. She sidled up behind Waverly then, only pausing for a moment before wrapping Waverly in her arms. Waverly stiffened a little bit, but quickly turned into Cole’s chest and began to cry herself hoarse. Cole just held her through it, making sure she gave Waverly enough time to get it all out before she finally asked, “Baby, why you didn’t you tell me you were feeling like this?”

The sputtered, sobbed reply that Cole got was less than intelligible, but she got the gist. Waverly didn’t tell her because she thought there was nothing to be done about how she felt. She said she wouldn’t cheat, and beyond that, she couldn’t think of any way to get pregnant. Of course, that response begged a question, and despite her distaste for it, Cole quietly asked it anyway, saying, “What if it wasn’t cheating? What if… what if it was something we did together?”

That seemed to shock some sense into Waverly, but still, her reply was sputtered as she quickly said, “No… no…. I just couldn’t… It— it’s not just a baby… I want _your_ baby…” Cole sighed then, still feeling guilty for not being able to give Waverly that, but she was undeniably relieved too. Cole knew that if what Waverly really wanted was a child, she would do anything to make that happen, but she wouldn’t lie and say that the idea of sharing Waverly with someone else was appealing in any way.

Of course, that left them right back where they’d started; with no options, and that made Cole feel just as disheartened as Waverly. They cried together then, holding each other up, until they just couldn’t anymore. When they finally sank back down into their bed, Cole was expecting to be asleep within seconds, but then she felt Waverly’s hand creeping down into her long shorts. With Waverly’s fingertips tickling lower and lower, she wasn’t going to complain about another hour of missed sleep. If Waverly needed the distraction, Cole would go along; all too willingly.

It was only a minute or two before the cries coming from inside their little house drowned out the ones outside it, as Waverly rolled on top of her and began working her over, almost too quickly. Cole could understand Waverly’s desperation though, and so she tried to force herself to relax. The rough rhythm was working for her anyway, and before long, she felt her release building higher and higher with each press of Waverly’s fingers. Ultimately, she climaxed three times that way, before Waverly let up, and by that point, Cole was almost thankful for the reprieve. Three times, right in a row; it was more than enough to wear her out.

Still, Cole mustered enough energy to flip them round in the bed, and eventually, brought her mouth to Waverly’s core instead. She spent several minutes licking and sucking and nipping her way to some cries from Waverly as well. She very nearly passed out with her messy face pressed against Waverly’s sticky inner thigh, but then she realized Waverly was crying again. She quickly crawled back up the bed, pulling Waverly into her arms as she went. It wasn’t hard to tell that these tears were happier ones than before though, clearly evident in Waverly’s sweet, sated smile. They cuddled into each other for few minutes then, and Cole felt herself sinking further and further into the darkness of sleep with each breath; that is, until she heard Waverly whisper, “you… you’d really do that for me? share a man’s bed with me just so we could have a baby?”

The delayed question threw Cole for a bit of a loop, but she recovered herself just as quickly, pulling Waverly tighter into her body as she said, “Waves… I love you. I’d do just about anything to make you happy.”

Waverly’s long sigh sounded almost like she had reconsidered her earlier statements, but then Cole sighed a happy sigh as well, when Waverly finally said, “I’m still not interested, but that… that means a lot to me, Cole… ” Waverly’s voice trailed off there, and the last of Cole’s energy trailed off with it. She had just enough left to hear it when Waverly softly added, “I love you too… so, so much…”

The next morning was pretty normal, if you considered the sudden addition of a screaming baby normal. Alice cried when she was hungry, and she cried when her diaper was wet, and sometimes, she cried when she just wanted attention. Not that Cole could blame her; one, crying was Alice’s only way to express herself, but also, Cole figured she got grumpy when she was hungry too. She could only imagine how upset she’d be if her underwear was soiled. Of course, Cole had never spent a lot of time around a baby before, so it took her a while to get used to the screaming and crying at all hours. Thankfully, after only a couple of weeks, Wynonna and Doc seemed to get into the rhythm of parenting, and Alice spent a lot less time crying. That was good news all around too, as it meant that everyone got more sleep; Cole included.

Things were going so well in fact, that about a month after Alice was born, Doc even found time to open up a new dentist office in town. Then, when Alice got old enough to travel, Wynonna started going into town with him every day, offering haircuts to anyone who’d hold Alice long enough for her to get the job done. Neither business boomed really but having a dentist in Purgatory definitely brought more people into town. Needless to say, not all those people were in town to have their teeth looked at; it seemed that some of them intended on robbing Doc blind instead. What those criminals didn’t realize though, was that Doc and Cole would be there waiting when they broke into Doc’s shop. Cole had an _inside man_ ; well, of a sort anyway.

One afternoon Waverly had come into the Sheriff’s office, wheezing from running the whole way from Shorty’s. Apparently, she’d overheard a few men talking about the gold and silver that Doc probably kept on hand for fillings. She’d still been panting by the time she’d finally said, “I mean… They didn’t come right out and say it, but they’re obviously thinking about robbing Doc.” Cole was on her own to deal with the situation too, as Nedley was out for a few days, dealing with some missing cattle. Cole took charge easily though, quickly jotting down Waverly’s descriptions of each of the men, so she could identify them later. Waverly smiled down at her the whole time, practically beaming with pride. That made sense though; six months before, Cole couldn’t write much more than her own name, but after a lot of late nights, Cole could even use shorthand to take her notes. Granted, her penmanship still needed some work, but she figured as long as she could read it, that was what really mattered.

Once she’d gotten her story out, Waverly only lingered for a minute or two after that, as she’d left Shorty’s without a bartender when she came over and tell Cole what she’d heard. Cole left the office with her when she went though, deciding she’d go ahead over to Doc’s and let him know what was brewing too. Waverly gave her a chaste kiss on the lips as they parted, obviously worried when she followed the kiss up with a quiet, “let me know the plan, and… be careful, okay?” Cole assured Waverly she would be, promising she’d stop by Shorty’s later to give Waverly all the details.

When Cole got to Doc’s office, he was actually seeing to somebody’s teeth, so she decided to just wait out front for him. It didn’t really make much sense to leave and come back; Cole was sure she’d end up waiting either way. It was rather nice outside anyway, so enjoying the sunshine on Doc’s front porch wasn’t exactly a hardship. She was only there for a few minutes before Wynonna came out the front door though, smiling as she said, “Hey… you here to see me? Or Doc?”

Not wanting to launch into the whole story about why she was there; not right there where anyone could hear anyway, Cole simply smiled back as she said, “Doc, actually… Got something I need to discuss with him.” That seemed to be enough of an explanation to satisfy Wynonna’s curiosity, but Cole didn’t miss the way her smile turned up just a little bit higher at her words. She was just about to ask what that was about when Wynonna interrupted her thoughts, asking if she wanted a trim while she waited. Admittedly, Cole did feel a little scruffy, so she agreed, smiling happily as Wynonna handed Alice off to her before escorting her inside. She was more than willing to hold Alice while Wynonna went to work cutting her hair, as it seemed that Alice was in a good mood. Over the last couple months, Cole had gotten very comfortable entertaining her niece, but when Alice was upset, there were only a few things that would calm her down. Unfortunately, Cole’s smiling face was not one of them.

As Wynonna’s scissors began to snip and snap, they chatted casually for a few minutes; Cole doing the polite thing, asking about Alice and how she was doing being at the shop all day. For once, Wynonna was almost polite back, telling Cole, “Oh, we have rough days, but for the most part we just stick to the routine... You know, Eat, Sleep, Shit, Repeat.” Shaking her head, Cole couldn’t help but laugh at that, but she also knew she wouldn’t be able to put off the inevitable for much longer either. Wynonna’s semi-politeness would only last so long, and when her patience wore off, then she’d start prodding Cole for more information about her visit.

Wanting to avoid that, surely aggressive, line of questioning, Cole decided to just bite the bullet and get it over with instead, but when she told Wynonna what Waverly had overheard, Wynonna didn’t seem all that concerned, simply saying, “Yeah, good luck with that, boys… Doc’s too smart, and too tight, to get robbed by a bunch of idiots…” For a second, Cole thought about trying to convince Wynonna to take the threat more seriously, but honestly, she knew that she and Doc could handle whatever happened, so why bother. They made such a good team that Cole wasn’t sure there wasn’t anything they couldn’t handle.

Thankfully, it was only another couple of minutes before Wynonna was done cutting her hair, because by that point, Cole was ready to hand Alice back over to her mother. She’d started squirming about halfway through the haircut, and if the smell coming from her diaper was any indication, Cole knew why. Wynonna took Alice off her hands easily enough, claiming that it was her turn to change Alice anyway, so she might as well get to it. Cole ducked out before Wynonna could get down to business though, not needing to see, or smell, that.

When she got back out into the hall, she found Doc’s office door open this time, so she figured he was done with his patient. She peeked out into the front room, just to be sure there was no one else waiting, before she made her way into his office instead. He seemed genuinely happy to see her at first, but when Cole actually got down to it, telling Doc that his shop was being cased, he was just as unconcerned as Wynonna had been. He explained that his stash went home with him every night, so he wasn’t worried, but the thing was, it wasn’t just about Doc’s cache of gold and silver; Cole wanted to catch these outlaws before they broke in and robbed somewhere else. If they could stop a robbery halfway through, it would certainly send a message to other criminals in the area too. Of course, she’d had her fill of shoot outs, but Cole figured, with a little prep time, they could come up with a plan, one that didn’t involve killing.

It really didn’t take much convincing to get Doc to agree to help her set up the sting either. The plan they came up with was pretty simple too; a little surprise and a little luck, and they’d barely even have to lift their guns. Of course, that’s how Cole found herself alone with Doc in the back room of his shop in the middle of the night that night. At least, they had plenty to talk about, Cole peppering Doc with questions like, “what’s that tool for?” and, “you really like digging around in people’s mouths?” Doc answered all her questions too; simple answers for the simpler questions, more complicated answers when they were warranted, but it wasn’t long before he started asking a few questions of his own too.

Their talk turned much less mundane after that, and when Doc asked her, “are you and waverly talking about having children?” Cole nearly choked. Still, Doc’s tone was soft, and the question came out almost timid, like he knew he was treading on thin ice, so Cole knew she needed to be just as gentle in her response. She’d just decided on what to say, when Doc beat her to the punch, choosing that moment to continue, finally saying, “…’cause Wynonna and I have talked about it, and if you need help with _that_ … I could—”

That was as far as Cole let him get though, quickly jumping in and interrupting him, “Th—thanks, Doc… but uh, no thanks, alright?” The abrupt response seemed to trip Doc up for a few moments, but Cole could tell he was still thinking about finishing his offer of… _assistance_. She didn’t need to hear it however, knowing it would just embarrass them both more if he actually voiced his thoughts out loud. So, she tried to find a way to nip the whole thing in the bud instead, managing to only stumble a little bit when she continued, “waverly and I— we’ve talked about gettin’ help with that… particular _situation_ , but we decided that it’s just not what we want.”

Despite her distaste for the conversation, and the need for it in general, Cole realized it was actually kind of sweet; what Doc was offering. He already knew her situation, so that would be convenient. He knew the broader _situation_ too, and Cole suspected he would have no illusions about what his place would be in her prospective child’s life; a beloved uncle, and nothing more. Still, she and Waverly had decided that option wasn’t an option, so instead of dwelling on it further, Cole simply added, “I really do appreciate the offer though. You’re a good friend, Doc… and if we were thinking about going that way, you’d be at the top of my list of… _candidates_ …”

It was quiet for a minute after that, the both of them obviously trying to figure out something else to talk about, but then there was a creaking sound coming from out back. It wasn’t long before there were some hushed voices too. Cole and Doc didn’t need to say anything then; they’d been over and over the plan, and at least for her part, Cole felt confident in her role. It seemed Doc did too, as he simply stood and turned to his small workstation, bending over the counter like he was working on something. Cole got up as well and quietly drawing her pistols as she moved towards the back door; ultimately, positioning herself in such a way that, when it opened, she’d be hidden from view.

As expected, it was only another few seconds before the lock on the door began to jiggle a little bit; making that tell-tale ‘being picked’ sound. It seemed that whoever was trying to pick the lock was struggling though, Cole hearing a quiet, “shit… ok… there, almost got it…” before the door finally swung open. From her position behind it, Cole could only listen as a couple sets of boots came shuffling into the room, but then a shocked voice called out, “Wh—what? What are you doin’ here?” With the noises they’d made, Cole thought she had a pretty good idea where the outlaws were, at least in relation to the door, and so, she sprung the trap. She didn’t hesitate, not even for a second, as she pushed the door closed with her boot, smirking as it settled into its frame with a bang.

With a squeaked shout, the two outlaws whirled in her direction, and when Cole got her first look at them, she almost laughed at how scared they both looked. The dual pistols in her hands might’ve had something to with that though. Their hands were already halfway up from their quick movements, and when Cole tipped her guns up a bit, those hands went even further up. Obviously, they didn’t think Doc’s gold and silver were worth their lives.

The apparent surrender was a relief, but Cole still held them both in her crosshairs as Doc slipped up behind them and disarmed them. Once he had their guns in hand, he paused beside one of them and snarled, “Where’s your friend?”

Two things happened at once then; Cole felt the cold press of metal come to a rest against the back of her neck, and she heard a gruff voice growl, “Right… Here…” A jolt of abject terror zipped out along her nervous system as she processed that. Someone, probably the stout man with the dark hair, was holding a gun to the back of her head. She was going to die…

It was a long, drawn-out standoff then; or, at least, it seemed like forever to Cole. She figured that was probably about right though; staring death in the face tended to make her want to live that much more. Her mind was just helpfully stretching out her last few seconds, trying to give her time to stave off the inevitable. Even then, Cole couldn’t imagine a way out of this deadlock unscathed. No one else moved or spoke either; it was almost as if they were all trying to figure out how to get out of that moment alive.

Their collective silence really only lasted for the briefest of moments though, and Cole nearly squeaked when she finally heard another hammer click open. Doc hadn’t moved, however, and neither had the two outlaws in front of her. She certainly would have felt it if the man holding the gun to the back of her neck had moved, but then, Cole heard the sweetest sound she’d ever heard; Waverly calling out from somewhere over her shoulder, “Drop it, Shit-Ticket… This over-under’s loaded with rock salt. It won’t kill you, but you’ll wish you were dead…”

At the threat, the cold metal against Cole’s neck quickly disappeared, and a clattering sound followed, when the gun landed on the floor at her feet. She whirled on that third outlaw then, bringing one of her pistols around with her. She knew better than to leave her attention divided for long, so she waved him over to stand next to his friends. She allowed herself the briefest moment of relief when he gratefully complied. Doc quickly took up the task of tying their hands together, but Cole didn’t lower her guns until they were properly restrained.

Finally feeling safe, Cole looked over towards Waverly then, smiling when she saw her standing in the doorway, still holding her short double-barreled shotgun like she was loaded for bear. She could see Waverly’s hands were shaking though, and so, Cole quickly move over to her to take the weapon. She figured getting accidently shot, was still getting shot. She holstered one of her own pistols, and then tentatively reached for the shotgun. Waverly seemed all too eager to be rid of it too, handing it over without protest. For such a short little thing, Cole had to admit the shotgun was awfully heavy, so she decided to just holster her other pistol and use two hands to carry it.

The over-under would be more than she needed to cover the outlaws as she frog-marched them to the Sheriff’s office anyway. They were all tied together, so one blast could easily catch all three of them. Thankfully, in the time since they’d arrested Bobo and his gang, Nedley had expanded the Sheriff’s office. There were now three cells, so each of the outlaws would get their own ‘private room.’ Cole actually smiled at the idea of making them ‘comfortable’ in their new accommodations.

What Cole wasn’t looking forward to, was sitting up all night to watch over the would-be robbers. She figured that wasn’t as bad as it seemed though; especially considering only minutes before, she’d been one, itchy, trigger-finger away from becoming a stain on Doc’s office walls. She steered herself away from thoughts like that as she started to settle in at the Sheriff’s desk, but she only just got seated before Waverly was pulling her back to her feet. With a curt, “We’ll be right back,” to Doc, Waverly dragged Cole around the desk, and right back out the front door of the office.

They didn’t go far, as only two steps later, Waverly whirled on her. From the ominous fire in Waverly’s eyes, Cole immediately thought she was in trouble, but then Waverly’s arms were sweeping around her shoulders and pulling down on her neck. Waverly crashed into Cole in an almost desperate sort of way then, and their teeth clacked together from the force. Waverly didn’t pull back however; if anything, the sharp spike of pain seemed to make her want to be even closer. A moment later, Cole found herself stumbling backward, as Waverly’s weight shifted, and legs wrapped around her waist.

It wasn’t that Cole wasn’t strong enough to support Waverly like that, but usually when she held Waverly that close, she at least had a moment to prepare first. Trying to think quickly, Cole attempted turn with Waverly’s momentum, but she overstepped and ended up stumbling again in her haste. She barely managed to get her hands in between Waverly and the Sheriff’s office wall, saving Waverly from being slammed into it. The abrupt stop didn’t stop Waverly’s desperate kisses though, and honestly, after the near-death experience, Cole felt a little desperate for reassurance too. She’d nearly died, or at minimum, she’d nearly been shot… again, and in her opinion that would have been two times too many.

Those thoughts were pushed from her mind as Waverly lips started to slow; their kisses turning sweet and affectionate instead of frantic. Of course, Cole appreciated those kisses too, simply loving the feeling of Waverly’s lips pressed so softly against her own. There were several hushed ‘I love you’s’ and a few ‘I’m sorry’s’ muttered between them then, but the apologies mostly came from Cole. She’d made a promise to be careful, and yet somehow, the thought of the outlaws splitting up had never even crossed her mind.

At least, she’d kept her other promise though, as she’d spent over an hour going over the plan with Waverly that afternoon. Obviously, Waverly had taken it upon herself to be ready to back them up, and for that, Cole couldn’t be more grateful. Waverly had surely saved her life; more than once, if Cole was really being honest with herself. She thought, next time, she’d just include Waverly in the plan from the get-go and save herself the stress.

Luckily, they didn’t need such plans again for a while after that. The magistrate came around two days later, and because Cole had caught them in the act, he easily convicted the outlaws of attempted robbery and sentenced them to six months hard labor with the railroad. Cole had wanted to argue for a stricter punishment, but she’d held her tongue instead, not wanting to have to explain how the outlaws had gotten the drop on her and nearly killed her. If that kind of rumor got around, life in Purgatory could get a lot more dangerous. Cole would deal with the mundane, monotonous grind of boring days, especially if it meant she wasn’t nearly getting herself shot every other day.

When Nedley finally came back from the east, a full two weeks later, Cole told him the truth about had happened, knowing that she couldn’t lie to him about it. Instead of chastising her about the mistake though, he’d simply said, “It’s alright, Cole. You just make sure you learn from this… You might not have back up next time.” Cole wasn’t sure how true that was however, as over the next few weeks, she spent a fair amount of time taking target practice with Waverly. The extra money they spent on ammunition was daunting, but Cole didn’t say anything about it, figuring it wouldn’t be a bad idea having a sharpshooter waiting in the wings.

Waverly obviously knew her way around a shotgun, but it seemed Waverly had an aptitude for distance shooting too, easily picking off targets the size of silver dollar from a hundred yards away; and, that was on her first day. With results like that, Cole suspected Waverly already had some experience with that sort of shooting, but when Cole asked her about it, all Waverly said was, “Well, I am an Earp…” Late the following week, when Cole came home from another boring day at work, she found Waverly and Wynonna taking turns with the rifle, putting down targets left and right. It was obvious then; good aim did, in fact, run in the family.

Figuring she was a part of that family too, Cole decided there were things about her own shooting skills that could be improved. She spent time working on her hip-shot accuracy first, knowing that was her weakest skill; at least, when it came to wielding a gun. Thinking along those lines, she also asked Doc to help her refine her already-quick drawing skills too. He was widely known for that particular trait; pretty much everyone said Doc had the fastest hands ‘West of the Mississippi.’ After working with him for a few days, Cole suspected he was probably the fastest draw on the whole continent, but she figured ‘West of the Mississippi’ just sounded better. With just a few tips from Doc, Cole noticed a marked improvement. She shifted some of her gear around, and shifted some of her weight, and that was all it took for Cole’s draw to be almost as fast as Doc’s; he’d even said so himself.

As these things go, it wasn’t long before those new skills were put to the test too. As spring turned to summer, it seemed like every other week, some new bad guy was riding into Purgatory looking to make some quick cash. The first week in June, Cole found herself facing off against some cattle rustlers that she and Nedley had caught red handed. That situation was diffused pretty quickly though; all Nedley had to do was call them out by name and the would-be cattle thieves surrendered without a fight. Apparently, Bryce, Cam and Skip had thought it would be a good idea to take a few of the Tate’s cows to pay their way west over the Rockies. Well, they got their wish there; the magistrate remanded them into his custody before he set out for Fort Garland. It seemed they’d get a real-life western adventure too, as Cole understood they were to be conscripted into the military from there.

Over the next couple of weeks, there were no less than three different bar fights in Shorty’s; all started by the same man. The first time, Cole let him slide with a warning; he’d feed her some sob story about how the other guy had been cheating at cards. Of course, the other man had skipped out of Shorty’s before she got there, so Cole couldn’t confirm Earl’s story. Something seemed fishy about it, but Cole didn’t see any real reason to hold Earl more than one night, so in the morning, she cut him loose.

When it happened again, Cole was actually in Shorty’s when the fight started. Even after she got in between them, Earl and Lonnie were still spitting curses at each other, so she threw them both into the cells for the night. She hoped they’d have clearer heads after they’d slept of their drunkenness. The next morning, Lonnie was beyond apologetic, simpering and crying about how he’d been minding his own business when Earl had cold-cocked him. Of course, Earl claimed that Lonnie had started it, so Cole decided to ask around town and see what people had to say about it. It seemed no one could remember how the fight had started though, and Cole had been looking the other way, so again, she didn’t really know what had happened. She let them both go that time too, but only after they’d received a stern talking to from Nedley. Public drunkenness and brawling might be petty crimes, but they were still crimes.

Late the following week, when the third fight broke out, Cole was across the street at Doc’s office getting another haircut from Wynonna. She watched through the front window, as Earl stumbled out the front door of Shorty’s, screaming his head off, crying out for help. With good reason too, as not two seconds later, Gus came chasing after him with a floured rolling pin held up high over her head. Evidently, Gus had caught him reaching over the bar when he thought she wasn’t looking, and she had decided to take matters into her own hands. When Cole arrested Earl that time, Nedley decided maybe he needed more than just a talking to, so he’d asked Cole send yet another telegraph to the magistrate. It turned out that Earl was wanted in three other counties, also for petty crimes, and when Earl left town that day, he did so, tied up in the back of the magistrate’s wagon, probably off for another one of the railroad’s work camps.

In July, she spent two weeks away from home, chasing after some men who had burned down a local farm. No one had been seriously hurt, but the Hardy’s had lost everything, so Cole decided to see if she could bring the arsonists to justice. That was a disappointing trip though, as she came back empty handed. It was like the outlaws had just disappeared; one minute, she was following their horse tracks and then the next she wasn’t anymore. At that point, without a trail to follow, all she could do was ride to the next town and ask around. Naturally, Robinson, Colorado was a big place, with several different places for a group of rough men to blend in. She spent three, fruitless days poking around before giving up, eventually riding back into Purgatory with her tail between her legs.

The beginning of August was even more discouraging; hot and dry, and boring. That is, until the beginning of the last week, when word came down the wire that a particularly ruthless flock of outlaws was heading in Purgatory’s direction. The leader, simply known as ‘Red,’ seemed to be on the dumber side, at least as far as criminals went, but apparently, what he lacked in brains, he made up for with pure heartlessness. He was wanted in three states, not just three counties, and for some major offenses too; bank robbery, murder and horse theft were among his laundry list of warrants. It was likely that David Cryderman’s new savings and loan was the gang’s next target too, as they’d just robbed a bank in Sargent, Kansas; a town only about a week’s ride east of Purgatory.

Of course, Cole and Nedley couldn’t do much more than prepare the public and hope for the best. Well, they press-ganged Pete and Kyle back into their Deputy positions, and Cole even went so far as to make sure that Waverly and Wynonna didn’t go around town unarmed. All told though, it just didn’t feel like enough. If the reports from Sargent were anything to go by, there were at least five men following Red, so even with Pete and Kyle, they’d still be outnumbered. Cole was almost tempted to wire Wyatt and see if he could get back to Purgatory in time, but from what Waverly had told her, Wyatt was far too far away to make the trek in less than a week. That left Cole asking Doc to make a stand with them instead, when the time came. She hated having to involve him, knowing that he had Alice and Wynonna to worry about, but she should have expected him to agree without a second thought. After all, Purgatory was his home too.

All of Purgatory rode the razor’s edge after that, everyone wondering when Red’s gang would ride into town and start demanding money at gunpoint. It felt like the longest week of Cole’s life, just waiting like that, but then, at just after noon on Friday, Pete came running into the Sheriff’s office, like the devil himself was chasing him. He was barely coherent enough to tell Cole what was happening, but she knew what was coming just from how panicked he looked. Apparently, he’d seen no less than _eight_ men, riding in hard from the east. Cole knew it would only be a few minutes before that gang reached town, but as she took to the street, with Nedley and Pete and Kyle and Doc at her back, she didn’t feel scared; she felt furious. All she could think was, ‘How dare these outlaws come to my town and start threatening my people? My _home_?!’

Thankfully, that anger fueled Cole through those next few minutes, and even, for a few more after that. They were brutal and hectic, bloody and lethal, but by the time the smoke had cleared, Cole had killed four of those eight riders herself. As always, she felt each one of their deaths like a shot in her own back and when she finally stopped to breathe, she nearly cried. Red and his gang might have been ruthless criminals, but Cole still hated that they had to die for the things they’d done. Obviously, they hadn’t given her much of a choice; starting a shootout right there in the middle of the street had kind of tipped her hand. Even still, she began to wonder if it ever got easier, killing someone who was trying to kill her. It took some time, but eventually, after a lot of cuddling and kissing and talking it over with Waverly, Cole decided that if killing ever did get easier, then that would be the time to find a new job. For the moment, she would just have to take life how it came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew... that was a long chapter, huh? Well, expect four more just like it in the coming days/weeks. Not sure as to what my posting schedule will be on this one, but I can promise I won't make you wait too long for the next chapter. This story is technically finished, but I'm just giving each chapter a read-through/polish before posting.
> 
> As always, leave kudos or comments if like what I've got going so far (Comments are moderated, but that just to keep haters from hating. Constrictive criticism is both respected and welcomed.) Honestly, the more kudos and comments, the more likely I am to get up early and work on the next chapter... so, if you want more, you know what to do... :-)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I thought I should take a moment to talk about some of the language you’ll find in this chapter. With the introduction of ‘certain characters,’ there are some words used that might seem dated, and borderline offensive. Obviously, I'm not intending to be offensive, or derogatory in any way, but I feel they are the appropriate words for the time period of the story. I tried to treat the situation as delicately as possible, and I hope it reads as such.
> 
> Also... Just so you know, this chapter definitely earns that 'E' rating...

The sun came up the next day, as it always does, and life moved on too, as it always does. Red and his outlaws were buried out in the back of the town cemetery, Cole and Pete and Kyle all taking turns digging. It was an all-day job, and by the end of it, Cole was bone tired. She knew that Gus was making a big, family dinner for everyone though, so when they were done, she got cleaned up as best she could and went over to Shorty’s, hoping to just get her belly full and then go home. It seemed there was more planned for the evening than just a nice supper however, as Nedley stood up at the end of the meal and cleared his throat. Cole thought he looked almost nervous, but that look was only there for a second before he started speaking, announcing in his gruff tone, “Well, I’m glad you’re all here for this… I’ve decided it’s finally time for me to retire.” A round of applause went up at that, but Cole didn’t clap; she could barely breathe. She knew that Nedley had hired her because he wanted to retire someday; she just didn’t think that that it would be _that_ day.

At first, everyone was so excited for Nedley that they barely noticed Cole’s shock, but then, when Nedley turned his attention towards her, all eyes in the room followed. She was barely managing to keep herself from running out the door, when Nedley finally continued, saying, “Cole, son… You look like I just slapped you in the face…”

The whole table chuckled at that, but it fell on deaf ears, as Cole’s blood started rushing around inside her head. She just couldn’t believe he would blindside her like this. Under the table, she felt Waverly’s hand wrap around her own and squeeze; Waverly obviously begging for her attention. It was a struggle to focus, but when Cole finally looked over at Waverly, she instantly settled. Waverly just looked so damn proud that Cole couldn’t help but find it infectious. Nedley said something else then, and everyone chuckled again, but with Waverly’s eyes fixed firmly on her own, Cole couldn’t spare him a second thought. Eventually, it was Doc’s voice that broke in between them, when she heard him say, “Cole, you might wanna answer the man… otherwise he might think you don’t want the job.”

Stumbling over herself, Cole finally got herself together about halfway through her reply, as she said, “I— Yes— Well… I… I’d be proud to be Sheriff, Sir.” Of course, Nedley scoffed a little at the indication of authority, but Cole knew he wasn’t really offended; the broad smile on his face showed her just how happy he felt. She got up then, and the adrenaline was still trembling through her body, but she pushed herself forward and made her way over to Nedley to shake his hand. She hated having to let go Waverly’s hand to do it, but she also knew it was the right thing to do. After her initial shock, she needed Nedley to know just how serious she was about doing a good job; for him, if for no one else.

His smile widened even more when she let go of his hand, but it was only a moment or two later, before Cole felt his arms wrap around her instead. She hugged him back, of course, relieved that it wasn’t an awkward one-armed affair. Nedley hugged her like a father would, tight and deep, stirring emotions in Cole she hadn’t felt in a long time. She realized in that moment, that Nedley really was like a second father to her. She decided right then and there, that she would do just about anything to make him proud of her. In all honesty, he probably already was, but that didn’t mean that Cole wasn’t going to do her damnedest to keep it that way.

The transition to actually taking over as Sheriff was a bit more involved than Cole thought it would be though. First, they had to call the magistrate back to town, which took over a week, as he was off in the far-west side of the county, dealing with a land dispute between two farmers. When he finally arrived, Nedley made his intentions clear about retiring and the magistrate just sighed, like he was disappointed. It seemed the reason for that frustration, was all the paperwork. Cole was beyond grateful then, that Waverly had taught her how to read and write, because she certainly needed those skills that day. The magistrate had her sign the same form multiple times, explaining each time what each copy was for; one for the county, one for the state, one for his records, then another three for public records. That seemed like a lot to Cole, but she just went with it, knowing there’d be no use in arguing.

The magistrate also had to take a vote from the townspeople of Purgatory. Of course, that took him a full two days, as harvest season was in full swing by then. Pretty much everyone who lived in town was out helping their neighbors; moving cattle for the Tate’s, or harvesting corn at the Hashford’s place, or helping the Hardy’s raise their new barn. Even with so much riding around, the magistrate managed to get a majority pretty easily, as every person he asked told him the same thing; that they’d be proud to call Cole their Sheriff. When he came back to the Sheriff’s office at the end of the second day, and told Cole as much, she simply beamed back at him as he pinned the Sheriff’s badge to the outside of her vest.

There was an awkward moment then though, as he lingered with his hands hovering over her badge, like he was thinking of snatching it off again. Thankfully, his hesitation only lasted for second before he sputtered and said, “I— Well, then, that’s— that’s done then… Uh… Congratulations, _Sheriff_.” He put a little spin on the title, almost like he meant it as a sneer, but Cole didn’t really have time to dwell on it, as he quickly turned to Nedley, shook his hand, and then took his leave.

Nedley must have noticed the moment of uncomfortable hesitation, and once they were alone, Cole winced when he heard him say, “Don’t worry, son… I think your secret’s safe.” From the look in the magistrate’s eye, Cole just couldn’t be sure.

Luckily, it was a long while before Cole had to call him back to town, as fall passed into winter without a moment of trouble. It was just as quiet all winter too; the heavy snows they got that year seemed to slow everyone down, outlaws included. As it was, it wasn’t until late March that Cole had to make her first official request for a magistrate. On her daily ride about that day, she’d caught a couple of men trying to skip out on paying Pete for services rendered. They hadn’t actually stolen anything from Pete, so Cole could only detain them for the time being, but after she had the men behind bars, she went around town to see if they’d wronged anyone else.

It seemed the two men hadn’t actually paid anyone for anything since they’d come into town three days prior. They’d gotten some supplies from Gray on credit, with the understanding that they’d pay him when they got their money out of the savings and loan. Cryderman was well renowned for being stingy about giving people their own money back, so Gray hadn’t seen any harm in letting them take what they needed first. It turned out that they didn’t even have an account at Cryderman’s.

The last straw was when Cole found out the men hadn’t paid up for their three night’s stay at Shorty’s either; naturally, that really got under Cole’s skin. Nobody messed with her family, and Gus and Curtis were definitely part of her family. She didn’t need any further convincing after that, and instead, she immediately made her way over to the post office to wire for the magistrate. She figured the conmen would be quite comfortable in her jail until he arrived, even if she really dreaded seeing him again.

Two days later, when the magistrate finally showed up, Cole was treated to a rather pleasant surprise. The man who came into her office was definitely not who she’d been expecting; he was taller and broader, for one, but he was also _darker_. That was the biggest surprise too, as she’d never seen a colored person in any position of power before. Growing up in Georgia after the war, she’d known plenty of freed slaves, but they’d all been farmers or blacksmiths or cooks. The man’s skin tone didn’t actually bother Cole, however; she figured if she could be Sheriff, he could be the county magistrate, especially if that was what he wanted out of life. He seemed confident and clam, with his strong bearing and steely gaze, and Cole wondered if he’d once been a solider or lawman himself. Just from the look of him, Cole could tell there was more to this man than met the eye.

Cole rose from her desk chair when the man stepped in and introduced himself, his voice a gruff rasp as he said, “Xavier Dolls… Bent County Magistrate’s Office.” Naturally, she noticed his momentary hesitation, as if, for a moment, he hadn’t been sure of what to say. Before she got a chance to analyze that though, he pressed on, his voice lilting up as he said, “…and, you must be Sheriff Haught?”

Crossing around the end of her desk to offer him her hand, Cole nodded as she said, “Yes, I’m Sheriff Haught… Thank you for coming.” His handshake was firm, like he was built for hard labor instead of paperwork, and once they were standing face to face, Cole found herself still looking up at him. Not for the first time, she was thankful that she had inherited her father’s long limbs; Xavier’s strength and size would have surely been intimidating otherwise.

Another moment of hesitation followed their handshake, Xavier just staring at her, like he was sizing Cole up. The scrutiny was intense, but Cole tried to push past it, politely asking him about his ride into town as she gestured him over towards the cells. His responses were short and stoic at first, but once their official business was done, he seemed to warm up to her; to the point where Cole was a little surprised when he asked her to join him for some lunch at Shorty’s before he left town. With the two conmen released on a fine, which they’d gladly paid, along with all their tabs in town, Cole knew she didn’t have much of an excuse to refuse. She considered turning him down anyway, just to avoid any more awkwardness, but she also knew Waverly was working the counter that day. She figured she could deal with a little uneasiness if it meant she got an opportunity to see Waverly in the middle of the day.

The walk over was fairly quiet, but Shorty’s definitely wasn’t; the bar was more crowded than Cole had seen it in a while. The warmer weather probably had something to do with that, but with Waverly working the counter, that meant that Gus was the one in the kitchen. Her cooking always attracted a crowd. In fact, there were so many people that there was only one table left unoccupied; the one closest to the kitchen. As she and Xavier made their way over to it, Cole could hear Gus grumbling and cursing from behind the swinging door to the kitchen. That wasn’t totally unusual, but when she glanced around, looking for Waverly, her wife was nowhere to be seen. That was certainly odd, as Gus had a pretty strict policy about leaving the taps unattended, so Cole excused herself from Xavier, and made her way back into the kitchen to ask Gus what was going on.

What she found was definitely odd too. The first thing she noticed was a cloud of smoke billowing out of the oven, and then, there was the fine coating of flour covering almost every surface in the room. Of course, Gus was there, and thankfully, so was Waverly. They were just beginning to clean up, when Cole stepped fully into the room. She was about to clear her throat, hoping not to startle them with her unexpected presence, but before she got the chance, Gus was shouting instead, crying out as she finally noticed the billow of smoke, “Awe! Hell!... Now, we’ve burned the pies too…” Cole simply stood there watching as Waverly rushed over to the oven and threw open the door.

More smoke rolled out then, wafting right into Waverly’s face, and Cole winced as Waverly sputtered and coughed. The smoking pies landed on the counter a moment later, and that’s when Waverly finally looked up and saw Cole standing there. She had the most adorable pout on her lips; her dismay clear, despite her face being covered in soot. Her hair was in complete disarray too, the frizzy strands stained white with the amount of flour clinging to them. Of course, to Cole, Waverly had never looked more beautiful; that cute, little pout combined with her complete dishevelment was almost too much for her to taken in. She couldn’t help but laugh though, because while Waverly looked beautiful, she also looked ridiculous too. The frown on Waverly’s face deepened at the sound, and Cole grimaced when Waverly shyly said, “don’t laugh… one of those pies was for you.”

Hearing the disappointment in Waverly’s voice, Cole rushed over to her, scooping Waverly up into her arms, as she said, “It’s alright, baby… there’ll be more pies.” Gus grumbled a little bit more before excusing herself, claiming that somebody needed to check in with the customers. Once they were alone, Cole pulled put her handkerchief and began to wipe the soot from Waverly’s face, smile widening as she said, “You look beautiful too, so there’s that.”

Waverly teetered a little bit, snickering as she playfully pulled the handkerchief away from Cole. She finished wiping down her face and then moved on to her arms as she said, “Well, I think you must’ve gone blind since this morning then, ‘cause I’m a mess.”

Cole nearly laughed again, when the movement caused a shower of flour to rain down from Waverly’s hair, but she just shook her head instead, and said, “No, Waves… I haven’t gone blind. You just don’t know how pretty you really are.” Cole’s compliments didn’t actually get the reaction she was after though, as Waverly quickly burrowed back into her chest with a sniffle. Feeling like maybe Waverly just needed a little more reassurance, she tried again, quietly adding, “baby, you come home smelling like cheap beer every night and yet, I still love the way you taste…” That certainly got a reaction from Waverly; a mix between a gasp and giggle, but what Cole had really been hoping for was the full body shiver she felt run through Waverly’s body.

Naturally, a harshly cleared throat sounded out from behind her. Sighing, Cole knew instantly that she was busted. Waverly tensed against her too, but Cole had no choice but to extract herself from Waverly’s tight embrace. If there was a lecture coming, she wanted to be able to face it. She grimaced anyway when she saw Gus was standing there in the doorway to the kitchen, her arms folded over her chest and a deep scowl on her face. That sour expression didn’t let up either as Gus finally said, “We’ll be having a talk about my _cheap_ beer, young man, but in the meantime, you might wanna see to your _friend_ …. They’re causing quite the stir out front.”

In the commotion, Cole had almost forgotten about Xavier, but the second the words were out of Gus’ mouth, Cole knew what she meant. A large, imposing freeman was not something the people of Purgatory were used to seeing, and surely by now, someone would have been nosy enough to ask what he was doing there. Cole left the kitchen with only one last glance at Waverly, and at seeing the confusion in her face, she winced. She really hoped Waverly didn’t think that her _friend_ was anything more than a friend.

Figuring Waverly would just have to figure that one out on her own, Cole cruised on into the dining room instead, only to stop short when she found Xavier nearly surrounded by ‘concerned citizens.’ It didn’t seem like there was about to be violence, but Cole hoped to put the situation to a quick end anyway, immediately calling out to Xavier, “Magistrate Dolls, have you decided what you’re having for lunch?” Several sets of eyes focused on Cole then; some surprised, but more looked relieved. She smiled when she noticed Xavier’s eyes included in the latter category. Wanting to relieve that last little bit of tension, Cole quickly weaved her way in between two townspeople and settled into her seat.

Most people got the picture pretty quickly and headed back to their own tables, and their own lunches, but one person lingered behind after everyone else. Cole thought her name was Eliza-something; Sharp, maybe, or Shapiro. Eliza only dawdled for a moment of two though, before moving off as well, but there was still an unease in the air that Cole couldn’t shake. That didn’t mean she wasn’t going to try however, as she quickly said, “I’m— I’m sorry about that… Strangers in town usually means trouble, so the folks around here tend to be nosy around new people.”

Her apology didn’t get much of a response, Xavier simply nodding as he glanced around the room. It made him seem so impassive, but when he finally looked her way again, Cole thought she saw a little flash of fire in his eyes. Of course, when he opened his mouth, all thoughts of that fire went right out of Cole’s head. “Look, Sheriff Haught, I think I should level with you,” was all he said, but Cole immediately felt tense. The other shoe was about to drop, and Cole wasn’t sure she was ready for it. Thankfully, before Cole’s mind could run away from her, Xavier continued, his voice not much above a whisper as he said, “I’m in Purgatory to investigate a string of arsons in the area. Technically, I’m a US Marshall, not a County Magistrate… Although, I’d prefer if we kept to that title. It would be _best_ if the people I’m after, don’t know I’m coming.”

That was a lot to take in, but Cole managed to catch the ‘string of arsons’ bit quite well. She remembered the fire that had turned the Hardy’s farm into a pile of rubble. The fact that Cole hadn’t been able to catch the culprits still stung too, but apparently, the outlaws who had done it were organized; at least, it seemed so, if the US government was taking an interest. She had a feeling that the Hardy’s farm fire was at least part of the reason why Marshall Dolls was in town, but she wanted to be sure, so she asked, “That fire we had last year?”

Marshall Dolls nodded solemnly, taking a moment to steeple his fingers on top of their table before he said, “Yes, and I think their next target is the Crofte farm, about twenty miles east of town.” Cole thought she knew the place; she was pretty sure they’d had some trouble out at the Crofte’s cattle ranch before. If she remembered correctly, Nedley had been out at their farm when she and Doc had nearly been gunned down in the back of Doc’s shop. Not surprisingly, Nedley hadn’t had much luck tracking down those rustlers either. By the time he’d made it out to the Crofte’s, their cows had stopped going missing, and without any fresh leads, Nedley hadn’t had much to go on; nothing more than a simple, ‘they went that’a way,’ and a finger pointing west.

Of course, Cole wondered if those rustlers had been a part of this ‘organized’ gang too, and so again, she asked, just to be sure, “What about those rustlers Sheriff Nedley confronted last spring?” Xavier nodded again, and Cole took a second to let that soak in. If these men were as bad as the Marshall’s presence belied, then she and Nedley were probably lucky to be alive. That thought just made her more invested though, and she quickly added, “Well, what can I do to help? These men have already gotten away from me twice… I won’t let that happen again.”

Xavier smiled at that, but he didn’t really answer her question though. Instead, he simply said, “I think I’ll have the bacon and egg sandwich… Are the eggs fresh?”

Somehow, Cole had been so involved in their conversation that she hadn’t noticed Waverly’s arrival to the table, but when she looked up into those sweet, soft eyes, she smiled. She certainly didn’t mind the interruption, especially with Waverly looking down at her like that; like she walked on air. There was a little twinkle in Waverly’s eye when she turned to Xavier to answer his question, saying, “Yes, I collected them myself, just this morning.”

That twinkle became a beam of pride when he replied with a smile of his own, “Well, that does sound fresh… I’ll have two then, and some coffee if you’ve got it.”

Waverly nodded, smiling even wider at Xavier’s softer tone, but then she turned back towards Cole and said, “And, what can I get for you, _Sheriff_?”

For just a second, Cole was too struck to answer. Obviously, Waverly was laying it on thick, calling her by her title, but it was Waverly’s smile that did her in. It was the smile that Waverly only used when she looked at Cole, and Cole felt like her heart might take flight with how fast it was beating. She couldn’t do with looking like a fool in front of the Marshall though, so she quickly replied, “I— I’ll have what I always have, Waves… but maybe add a little milk to my coffee?”

Cole smiled when the nickname made Waverly twitter a little bit, but then, she could feel the Marshall’s eyes boring into the side of her head. Clearly, he was trying to figure out what they were to each other. Thankfully, Waverly didn’t leave any mystery to it when she leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to Cole’s lips before said, “You got it. Anything else?” All Cole could manage was a soft shake of her head, too enamored by the sweet kiss to offer any more response than that. So much for not looking like a fool in front of the Marshall; the second Waverly stepped away from the table, Cole heard him snicker. She couldn’t really be blamed though. She was, a _fool in love_ , after all.

Xavier’s mirth only lasted so long however, and it was only maybe a minute or two before their conversation turned back to business. First, he walked Cole down the trail that had led him to Purgatory; the fire at the Hardy’s, and the rustlers at the Crofte’s, with several other instances in between. Some of the crime scenes he described went as far back as four years earlier. Apparently, he’d been tracking these men for quite a while. It was a fairly grisly tale too. Usually, no one survived the fires; the doors to the houses had been barred or the barn doors had been chained from the outside, trapping anyone inside once the fire got going. Cole realized then that the Hardy’s might be the only victims these outlaws had left behind; and, they’d come out of it mostly unscathed too. The oldest son, Cole thought his name was Champ, had broken his ankle, but as far as she knew, no one else had even been injured.

Connecting the dots from there was pretty easy, and when Cole voiced her concerns for the Hardy’s safety, Xavier was all too quick to confirm her suspicions, saying, “It wouldn’t surprise me if these men went back to tie up their lose ends… That’s actually something I’d like your help with. I’ve tried to interview the Hardy’s, but so far my attempts to contact them have been met with… resistance.”

It wasn’t hard to figure out what Xavier meant by that; even with the war over and done, not too many people would be happy to see a freeman on their doorstep. If Cole was remembering correctly, the Hardy’s weren’t known for being the most… _tolerant_ people either. They didn’t do well with strangers on their land to begin with, with good reason, but she could imagine the kind of trouble Marshalls Dolls would have trying to get any information out of them. She figured the least she could do was escort him, smooth things over a bit, so she said, “Well, I can certainly head out there with you, if you’d like. I’m sure they’ll be more forthcoming with a _familiar_ face by your side.”

That seemed to be exactly what Xavier was after too, and he nodded as he replied, “I imagine that would be helpful. Do you think we could make it out there today? After lunch, of course?” Cole readily agreed, knowing that otherwise she’d spend the entire afternoon just walking around town, trying to fight off her boredom.

Their conversation turned less serious after that, Xavier asking Cole about Waverly, and Cole stumbling her way through the story of how they met. She did her best to gloss over the whole horse-thief thing, not wanting him to think she wasn’t trustworthy. When she mentioned working with Doc and Wyatt to take down Lou, the Marshall seemed especially interested, offering a short story about how he’d meet Wyatt for the first time as well. It was actually a similar story to Cole’s; the two teaming up to stop a group of highwaymen who’d been robbing trains between Hays City and Russell, Kansas.

It was only a few more minutes of back and forth before Waverly brought them their lunches, wearing that same sweet smile. Cole felt her heart flutter at the sight of it, and she smiled too, knowing she’d never get tired of how easily Waverly affected her. Waverly didn’t linger at their table for long, Gus calling her back into the kitchen after only a couple of minutes, but Cole did at least get the chance to let Waverly know her afternoon plans. Of course, Waverly told Cole to be careful, and Cole agreed, laughing a little bit as she said, “Waves, we’re just going out there to talk... We’ll be fine.” Waverly’s smile faltered a little bit at that, but she didn’t let on about it, so Cole gave her a little smile of her own as Waverly excused herself back to the kitchen again.

Once her lunch was down in front of her, Cole realized just how hungry she’d become. Her omelet looked delicious and she dug into it with gusto. It seemed Xavier was just as hungry, and for several minutes, neither of them said a word. When they were finished eating, the Marshall insisted on paying for their meals; even after Gus told him it was on the house. Cole snickered through that whole exchange, knowing he was fighting an up-hill battle. Gus won eventually too, finally telling Xavier that she’d be offended if he didn’t take her hospitality. He seemed to know when he’d been beaten though, finally grumbling his way through a ‘thank you,’ instead of continuing to argue.

After leaving Shorty’s, they made their way over to Pete’s to collect their horses. They chatted with him for a few minutes too; Cole eventually asking him to keep an ear out for trouble while they were out of town. Pete agreed without hesitation, smiling as he said, “I could use a break from making shoes, anyway.” They all left the stable together then, Pete heading over towards the Sheriff’s office, while Cole and Xavier rode off towards the Hardy’s instead.

There were more than a few awkward moments along the way, Xavier asking Cole question after question. Most were pretty mundane; where was she from, when did she decide he wanted to be in law enforcement, how she liked being Sheriff of Purgatory? Each question made Cole feel that much more uneasy though, like there was more the Marshall wasn’t saying; or rather, Cole felt like he was trying to bait her into saying too much. She organized each of her responses, at least as best she good, but there was definitely one moment where she messed up. When Xavier asked her whether she and Waverly were thinking about kids, Cole blurted out her answer before she could think, spitting, “That’s none of your business!”

Xavier backed off a bit after that, but Cole could tell he was just thinking that much harder instead. Thankfully, they were already an hour into their ride when that happened, so it wasn’t long before Cole finally saw the Hardy farm coming up over the horizon. At least now, the Marshall would have someone else to focus on. They rode right up on the house without incident, but before they could dismount at the front porch, Cole heard a shout from inside the house, “Just stay right where you are! We don’t want nothing from nobody!”

Sighing, Cole tried to keep her irritation in check as she called back, “Mr. Hardy, be reasonable… we just wanna ask you some questions about that fire last year.” The house was quiet for a long moment after that, but eventually the front door rattled open, and Dylan Hardy rattled out after it. The first thing Cole noticed was the menacing looking shotgun in his hand. Knowing that she needed to hold her ground, Cole grimaced as she continued, “Mr. Hardy, is that really necessary? We’re all friends here.”

In the end, the barrel of Mr. Hardy’s shotgun tipped towards the ground, and Cole sighed again, but this time in relief. He still didn’t seem like he wanted to help them, but when he begrudgingly said, “Let’s get this over with,” that seemed to be all the invitation Xavier needed. He hopped down off his horse and quickly moved over to Mr. Hardy, introducing himself along the way. Cole was a little surprised when Xavier used his actual title, but when she saw Mr. Hardy’s eyes widen at the term, she understood why. US Marshall Dolls was a lot more intimidating than Bent County Magistrate Dolls.

Mr. Hardy seemed a little more cooperative after that, answering Xavier’s questions, if only a little combatively. Cole was pretty quiet while they went back and forth, not wanting to interrupt the flow of questions and answers, but when Champ stumbled out onto the porch, obviously drunk at three in the afternoon, Cole had to step in. Champ lumbered forward, his arm making a wide arc as he moved, with his closed fist aiming right for the back of Xavier’s head. Cole only had a half a second to react, but Champ’s attack was so slow and unorganized that she didn’t even need that much time. She managed to bring her own arm up at just the right moment and caught Champ right across the chest, clothesline style. The sudden impact sent him ass over teakettle, and Cole winced as his side bounced off the porch railing before he slumped over it.

Xavier and Mr. Hardy both turned just a second too late to see what really happened, but it was only another half a second before Cole heard Mr. Hardy bark out, “Champ, you worthless piece of… You git your ass back in the house, or so help me… you’ll be muckin’ the stables without a shovel for the next year…” Champ was wheezing, leaning over the railing, but Cole could still see the disgust that seethed in his eyes. He sneered then, spitting curses and slurs as he started towards Xavier again, but it was Mr. Hardy that got in between them that time, pushing Champ to the floor of the porch instead. All Cole could do was stand there as Mr. Hardy towered over his son and spat, “Boy, don’t test me! I will kick the shit out of you right in front of these folks. I don’t care what they think…”

After a beat, Champ clambered to his feet, but he still looked like he was thinking about trying his luck again. At the last second, he seemed to smarten up, finally realizing he was sorely outnumbered. After one last look of hatred, he huffed his way back into the house. Once he was out of sight, Cole heard Mr. Hardy sigh heavily before he said, “You’ll have to excuse my son, Marshall. He’s not right… We lost pretty much everything in the fire, but Champ broke his ankle when we trying to get out of the house. He was down with it so long he lost his job… He’s, uh, he’s been like this ever since.”

It was a moment or two before Xavier said anything, but when he did, it was in the softest tone Cole had heard him use so far, as he said, “It’s alright, Mr. Hardy. I understand how hard this was on all of you. Would you… would you mind if I tried to have a talk with him? I might be able to put things in prospective for him. He is lucky to be alive after all.”

To Cole’s surprise, Mr. Hardy quickly agreed, gesturing towards the door, with a simple, “Be my guest…” Instead of immediately making his way inside, Xavier took a moment to return to his horse, eventually pulling a leather-bound sleeve out of his saddle bag. Cole could guess what was in there; probably pictures of the other crime scenes he had told her about earlier. She knew photography was still a relatively new technology, forcing the subjects to be still for long periods of time. She figured that wasn’t really a problem though, when the subjects were all dead.

A moment later, Xavier disappeared inside the house, leaving Cole alone with Mr. Hardy on the porch. They had a polite enough conversation while Xavier was gone, Cole finding it easy to get Mr. Hardy talking. All she had to do was ask him about his new barn, and he lit right up. They made their way over to take a look at it as they talked, and when she got her first look at it, Cole had to admit that it was an impressive structure. It was a full, two stories, with a large hay loft on top of that. It had been whitewashed from top to bottom too, obviously in an effort to protect the wood from the weather. When Cole made mention of how nice it was, Mr. Hardy smiled in a sad sort of way, and said, “To be honest, that fire was almost a blessing… Our old barn was on its last legs. The roof was going, and the siding needed replacing in several spots too. It was horrible, the fire and sifting through the rubble afterwards, but now, we have this…”

All Cole could think to say was, “Well, at least there’s some sort of silver lining.” Mr. Hardy chuckled a little bit a that, before simply leading Cole back towards the house. They stood on the porch for a moment or two then, before Mr. Hardy offered to get her a drink, ‘coffee or something.’ Cole was a little thirsty, but refused anyway, saying, “I’m alright, thanks… You don’t need to entertain me, either. I know you’ve got better things you could be doing than standing around here making chit-chat with me all day.” Mr. Hardy seemed ever-so-grateful for that, smiling as he quickly excused himself, muttering something about hiding all their shovels as he left.

Cole only waited a few more minutes before Xavier came back out of the house, a grim look on his face. She knew better than to ask how his conversation with Champ had gone, just for that look. If the slurs Champ had been spitting earlier were any indication, he didn’t want anything from the likes of Xavier Dolls. Most of their ride back to town was quiet, both seemingly lost in thought, but eventually, about a half hour in, Xavier finally said, “I think I got something through that thick skull, but you might wanna watch out if you ever get any freemen actually living in Purgatory.” Cole simply nodded, knowing she would do just that, if and when the time came.

Once they got back to town, Cole made her way over to Shorty’s with Xavier, to make sure Gus had a room for him to stay in for a couple days. She did, of course, and Cole left him with the promise that they’d meet up at the Sheriff’s office in the morning to discuss their next move. Cole rode for the homestead then, grateful to see the end of another day. All she wanted was a hot meal and bath, anything to distract herself from the grittiness of her day. As always, Waverly had that hot meal waiting on the stove for her when she walked through the door, and she smiled as they settled in together to eat it.

Truthfully, it was some of the best food Waverly had ever made for her too; a spicy rice and bean dish, with strips of seared vegetables on top. Waverly twittered and blushed when Cole complimented her about it, laughing lightly when she replied, “Well, I can’t take credit… Gus hired a new girl at Shorty’s today. It’s her recipe.”

Cole didn’t remember seeing anyone new in town that day, but she’d also been gone most of the afternoon, so she figured it would have been easy to miss a new face. She asked Waverly about the newcomer then, and Waverly smiled as she told Cole all she knew about her new co-worker, Rosita Bustillos. From what Cole could tell, Rosita seemed like a bit of a firecracker; a rough and tumble sort of girl from Texas. Waverly said she was nice to have around though, with her sharp sense of humor and even sharper mind. Apparently, Rosita fancied herself a bit of a scientist too, Waverly eventually explaining that she made her own soaps and creams. Of course, that made Cole wonder if Rosita was some sort of snake-oil salesman, just in town long enough to swindle everyone out of their money before moving on. Waverly put those thought to rest quickly enough, offering Cole the bar of soap that Rosita had given her, free of charge. The soap was a bit lumpy and oddly shaped, but Cole had to admit it smelled very good; like vanilla and honey.

After dinner, Waverly helped Cole heat some water for her bath, but then surprised her by joining her in the tub. They didn’t often wash together as their tub wasn’t very large, but Cole never complained about having Waverly’s back pressed against her front; especially when they happened to be naked at the time. They took their time washing each other, hands lingering and fingers trailing, and honestly, it was as intimate as any moment they’d ever had together. Cole loved feeling Waverly’s skin under her hands; loved feeling the way Waverly shivered as her fingers tickled lower and lower and lower.

Of course, Cole hadn’t really meant for their bath together to turn sexual, but when Waverly switched around in Cole’s lap and straddled her hips instead, Cole couldn’t help but buck into Waverly anyway, already needing to feel more of Waverly’s body against her own. Cole soon got her wish too, as Waverly started to slowly grind against her stomach. It wasn’t hard to tell how wet Waverly was, even with the bath water washing back and forth between them. Some of the water was sloshing up against the tides of the tub too, but when Waverly’s arms wrapped around her neck, Cole had no choice but to tune it out; all she could focus on, was the slick expanse of naked skin in front her.

Sucking against at Waverly’s collarbone brought a soft grunt to Cole’s ears, but when she lightly raked her teeth over the same spot, Cole earned herself a hoarse cry instead. When Cole moved down to offer one of Waverly’s nipples the same treatment, Waverly all but whimpered Cole’s name in response. The speed of Waverly’s hips increased with each sound too, and in turn, that increase drew more and more of those sweet sounds from Waverly’s throat. Most of those sounds were a bit muffled by Waverly’s tight grip around Cole’s head, but she was still dimly aware of the slosh of the bath water in the background. At that point, Cole was sure some of it was spilling out over the rim of the tub and onto the floor, but she simply couldn’t care; not with Waverly’s head tipped back above her own, her trembling muscles straining and flexing, her chest heaving with exertion. Waverly was close; that much of obvious, and Cole wasn’t about to stop just because they were making a mess.

It seemed Waverly needed just a little bit more though, Cole hearing the desperation in Waverly’s voice when she finally choked out, “T—touch me… p—please… I neeee—” Even though Waverly’s voice failed her, Cole wasn’t about to turn down an invitation like that. It was a tight fit, but eventually, she managed to stuff one of her hands down in the between their bodies. The second her fingers made contact with Waverly’s slit, Waverly jolted against her touch, her entire body stiffening into one solid muscle. Cole could feel Waverly’s entrance fluttering against the pads of her fingers and suddenly, she needed more too; she needed to feel Waverly’s orgasm for herself. She quickly pushed down again, gasping as her first two fingers slide inside with no resistance at all. Within seconds however, Cole’s fingers were wrapped in the tightest, wettest heat she’d ever felt. Waverly’s muscles clenched down so forcefully that Cole didn’t even think about trying to pull out for another thrust.

Not that Waverly needed another one; it was only a few seconds before Waverly’s insides started to pulsate, alternating between gaping open and clenching tight again. Cole fell in with the rhythm easily enough, curling her fingers forward every time Waverly’s muscles allowed it. Waverly’s breath hitched the first time Cole pressed against that swollen, and especially sensitive, spot inside her, and Cole made it her mission to hit that spot every time after that. Even still, it only took three perfectly placed strokes before a thick rush of heat and slick spilled out over Cole’s stomach. Clearly, Waverly’s release would have made a much bigger mess if they hadn’t still been in the tub, but Cole couldn’t even think about that as Waverly’s insides went absolutely wild around her fingers, spasming and fluttering and rippling like they had a life of their own. Cole just kept curling forward too, drawing Waverly’s orgasm out for as long as she could.

What felt like minutes later, Cole sighed as she felt Waverly’s insides give one last weak shudder before finally going still around her fingers. By that point, Waverly had curled up against one Cole’s shoulders, panting and sighing as she came down. Cole didn’t want to leave the warmth of Waverly’s core, but she knew, sooner or later, they would have to get out of the tub. The water temperature was decreasing rapidly, so there was that, but also, the longer she allowed herself to linger, the more tender Waverly would be when she finally pulled out. Still, Cole held Waverly tight for a few more moments before slowly pulling her fingers free. Waverly groaned at the loss and Cole grimaced too, wishing she could have stayed inside Waverly for the rest of her life.

It took some coaxing, but eventually, Cole got Waverly up and out of the tub. Waverly’s legs still seemed a little shaky though, so Cole held her up while she dried her off. Without even thinking about it, Cole quickly turned the same towel on herself, but when she heard Waverly snicker, she paused, confused. She pulled the towel away from her face just in time to watch Waverly say, “I don’t know why you do that… It’s not like we don’t have more than one towel.”

Honestly, using Waverly’s towel was just a habit that Cole had sort of picked up. The first time she’d done it, Cole had forgotten to grab one for herself from the cupboard, and Waverly’s used one was already hanging nearby. After that, she started using Waverly’s because that meant only one towel got dirty at a time. She couldn’t really tell Waverly that though, so Cole simply smirked and said, “Well, what if I said I just wanted to smell like you?”

Of course, Waverly was too clever for that, and Cole wrung her hands back and forth over the towel as Waverly quickly replied, “That’s just silly… We used the same soap, Cole. You already smell like me.”

Not seeing any other way around it, Cole just gave in, grumbling as she said, “Um, maybe I just didn’t want you to have to wash two. You know I don’t like you doing all the wash around here anyway… It— it makes me feel like just another _useless_ man…”

That was the truth of it, too; Cole didn’t want Waverly to feel burdened by being with her. She already felt bad that she couldn’t give Waverly a normal life; or at least, one that included children. Over the last few months, Cole had found herself trying to make up for that shortcoming, in any way she could. She’d gladly use an already damp towel, if it meant that there was one less towel in the wash. She didn’t mind drinking out of the same glass for a couple of days, if it meant Waverly didn’t have to wash that so often either. She’d work every day for the rest of her life to give Waverly everything she deserved, even if it would only ever be just the two of them. Of course, Cole felt like she couldn’t tell Waverly any of that. She knew Waverly didn’t want her to feel inadequate, and Cole certainly didn’t want to disappoint Waverly by admitting it.

Thankfully, Waverly let her comment go unanswered, at least for the moment; she merely shook her head as she made her way over to their bed and climbed under the covers, still totally naked. Cole followed, of course, slipping in behind her once Waverly looked like she was comfortable. There was a little tension lingering between them, but it only lasted for a second, before Waverly shifted back against Cole’s body and whispered, “you’re not useless, baby. you have many uses… like taking care of me in the bath, without asking for a thing for yourself… I don’t know about you, but I think that kind of chivalry should be rewarded?”

A hundred different things flashed through Cole’s mind then, but when Waverly flipped over to face her, any response Cole had, went right out of her mind. All she could think about was the way Waverly looked at her, like there wasn’t anyone else in the world. Then, Waverly kissed her, and Cole suddenly felt the exact same way; like no one else existed outside their little bubble. Obviously, there weren’t alone in the world; there were people like drunken Champ Hardy, slinging slurs like they were the only words they knew. There were people like Xavier Dolls, all stern tones and watchful eyes. There were Wynonna’s and Doc’s and Alice’s, and Pete’s and Chrissy’s, and so many more beyond that, but with Waverly’s lips moving against her own, it wasn’t long before Cole couldn’t even remember those names.

Waverly’s lips lingered against her own for a long time too; sweet little pecks, and tongues tangling in each other’s mouths, and everywhere in between. Eventually, Waverly pulled back, probably needing to catch her breath, and Cole instantly regretted the loss. She was only disappointed for a moment though, before Waverly began trailing kisses down her jaw instead. Cole sighed into the transition, simply loving the feeling of Waverly’s lips anywhere she could get them. Those lips trailed further and further away from her own too, moving down her neck and onto her chest. Cole felt Waverly’s hands start to press against her shoulders then, and she easily rolled with the pressure, wanting to give Waverly whatever she wanted.

It was only another moment before wet warmth wrapped around one Cole’s nipples; lips sucking and a tongue teasing. She gasped and tensed when she felt just the slightest edge of teeth, but before she could truly enjoy the sting, Waverly was pulling away. Cole arched her back, hoping to encourage Waverly to keep going, but Waverly simply kept going the other way instead; her lips sucking harder as she tried to break away. The sharp sensation pulled a sharp cry from Cole’s lips, as her tender nipple popped out of Waverly’s mouth with a wet smack.

The noises only seemed to drive Waverly on too, and Cole sighed when that wet warmth quickly returned to her skin. Soft, open mouths kisses bathed her belly for moment, but then, Cole choked on another gasp when she felt Waverly’s teeth dig into the skin just below her navel. Naturally, Cole should have been expecting that, as her stomach was one of Waverly’s favorite places to leave love marks. The pain was secondary to the rush of heat that flooded south, and as Waverly sucked even more harshly at that same spot, Cole couldn’t find a single reason to regret the bruise that Waverly was making. She knew when she saw it the next day, she would remember exactly how good it felt to have Waverly put it there in the first place.

The next bruising kiss landed just a little lower and Cole’s hands quickly found the back of Waverly’s head; mostly of their own accord. She couldn’t deny her need to hold on to something; otherwise, she felt like she might just float away. Waverly’s mouth always made her feel weak, only in the best possible way. In their bed, she didn’t have to be the strong man she’d grown into being; Cole could be weak for _Waverly_. That weakness didn’t mean her hands weren’t still clenching fiercely in Waverly’s hair, but her firm grip only seemed to encourage Waverly further south anyway.

After all the attention to her neck and chest and stomach, Cole could only sigh in relief when Waverly finally scooted further down in between her thighs. Wet heat met wet heat then, and Cole clenched at just the thought of Waverly’s mouth moving against her. She only had a moment to actually think about it though, before Waverly drove every last thought from Cole’s mind. They were totally consumed by the sensation of Waverly’s lips wrapping around her clit and sucking there instead. Words became absolutely meaningless; not that Cole could actually make words at that point. She was too busy gasping and groaning and moaning with every caress of Waverly’s lips and tongue.

Within seconds, Cole could feel that familiar heat swirling inside her again, and it only grew hotter and deeper with every second that passed. As always, the feeling of Waverly’s sucking lips and teasing tongue was just too much for Cole to hold on for long. Honestly, she should have been embarrassed by how quickly she actually came; her entire body locking up within the first minute. Cole was dimly aware of Waverly’s hands wrapping around her thighs as she started to shudder, but by that point, Cole couldn’t even think about trying to keep still. She was a slave to what her body wanted; and what it wanted was _more._ As luck would have it, Waverly kept pulling at her clit with her lips, and teasing the tip with her tongue, drawing out Cole’s release until she was sure she would never come down again.

Of course, what goes up, must come down, but still, Cole thought it was quite possibly the longest release she’d ever experienced. By the time Waverly pulled away, Cole was panting and shivering, her body now struggling to recover. It wasn’t long before she felt Waverly’s lips start retracing their steps back up her body, and then, Cole found it difficult to continue breathing at all. Every inch of her skin felt hyper-sensitive, like an electric current was running hot along every one of Cole’s nerve endings. Waverly’s light little kisses kept moving up and up and up though, until the smell of Cole’s own musk began to fill her nose. All she could do was lie there as Waverly took her lips in a soft, little kiss too. Tasting herself on Waverly’s lips made her shudder all over again though, her core clenching and rolling through what seemed like an almost inevitable aftershock. Cole was still quivering, when Waverly pulled away, only far enough to whisper against her lips, “was that a sufficient reward? or would you like another?”

Groaning, Cole pulled Waverly down on top her then, unable to even think about going again. Her long day was quickly catching up the her, and it seemed the exertion of the last few minutes had really done her in. She was already drifting when Waverly snuggled in next to her, but she had just enough energy left to sleepily reply, “a—all I need now is you… just you…”

Waverly’s light chuckling was like the sweetest lullaby, but Cole managed to catch Waverly’s reply too; simply, “sleep, my love… there’s always tomorrow…” Before the blackness took her, Cole’s last thought was, ‘gosh, I surely hope so…’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well? Was that worth the wait? Honestly, I meant to get this chapter posted yesterday, but I had problems getting motivated. It was a gross, gray sort of day, and I think maybe it just made me feel kinda gray too. Anyway, feel free to let me know what you think in the comments... I basically live for feedback... :~)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some fluff, some feels, and a whole lot of plot... like a whole lot.
> 
> Also, a surprise!
> 
> Enjoy!

Unfortunately, over the next few days, Cole and Waverly didn’t get much in the way of alone time. Xavier was already waiting for Cole outside the Sheriff’s office when she arrived bright and early the next day. Once they got inside, he almost seemed like a man possessed, like he had some personal stake in bringing these murderers to justice. Cole didn’t know enough about him to know what that might be, but she didn’t question it either. She certainly didn’t want to see another family end up like the Hardy’s; nearly torn apart by tragedy. If that drive in Xavier’s eyes made that happen, then Cole was fine with dealing with his intense attitude.

At least, his plan was a fairly simple one. That day they would ride out to the Crofte’s dairy farm and ask some questions. If they got any credible information, then they could track that down the next day. If not, then they would ride further east until they found someone that did have information. Despite the simplicity, Cole wasn’t hopeful; these outlaws seemed pretty slick. Cole knew she’d already chased and lost them once, and Nedley had had a chance at them too. Not that she and Nedley were necessarily the best lawmen around, but if a man like Xavier had been following them as long as she suspected, they clearly knew what they were doing. It was as if they had places to hide all over the countryside, and once they were hidden, they stayed hidden; at least until they struck again. They obviously had some sort of backer as well; someone had to be buying the cows they’d stolen. That same someone was probably covering for them with the law about it too.

With a plan in place, it wasn’t long before Cole found herself sitting astride Jane as they rode out of town. Most of the ride was pretty quiet; their conversation stifled by the morning’s thick fog. It made for slow going as they picked their way across the countryside; the visibility was so low in a few places that they had to dismount and lead the horses along on foot. Cole tried to use the time wisely though, going over their other options for information in her head. After dismissing several possibilities, she eventually came to the Tate’s. She was actually a little surprised that the Tate’s hadn’t been targeted by gang already. After all, the Tate ranch was twice the size of the Hardy farm, and the Crofte farm, combined.

Later on, after the fog had cleared a bit, Cole took the chance and suggested that they pay the Tate’s a visit; maybe, they’d already been a target and just didn’t know it. While she wasn’t sure how Xavier would respond, she certainly wasn’t expecting him to grumble as he said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if the Tate’s aren’t behind this whole mess… trying to run their competitors out of business.”

Something told Cole that wasn’t true though; she knew the Tate’s, or at least, she thought she did. When she’d first come to Purgatory, Herman Sr. had seemed a hard man, his face nearly always set in a deep grimace, but after a while, he’d warmed up to her. Cole was one of the few people in town that could actually get the man to smile. Mama Olive wasn’t the most pleasant person to run into either, but Cole thought she seemed fair, if a little abrasive. Hetty and Herman Jr. were always polite when Cole saw them around town, even though she’d had to put Herman up in the cells a couple of times for public drunkenness. He was always well-mannered and apologetic the next morning though; once he’d even gone so far as to thank Cole for keeping him from getting into _too_ much trouble. Of course, something also told Cole not to argue with Xavier about it. He seemed like he’d already made up his mind, so she decided to hold off on pressing the issue, figuring that if they didn’t get anything from the Crofte’s, then she could bring it up again.

It seemed they would be out a luck at the Crofte’s too. About a half a mile from the farm, the morning’s fog returned; only this time it wasn’t fog, it was smoke. When they crested the hill that overlooked the Crofte’s farm, Cole nearly wept at what she saw. The charred ruins of the house were still smoldering; thick, black smoke rising from the ashes. The barn and woodshed were in similar shape, their blackened frames totally collapsed in on themselves. She found out the hard way that the remains of the barn were still hot to the touch, despite the cool mist clinging to its scorched surfaces.

After only a few minutes of poking around, they found the bodies, cuddled in one corner of what remained of the house. Cole did cry then, as they began to pull the Crofte’s out of the rubble; Xavier just cursed under his breath the whole time. Naturally, Cole felt the same way, cursing herself for not getting there faster. If they’d come out to the Crofte’s first, instead of going over to the Hardy’s, the Crofte family might still be alive. Now, they just had three more bodies to bury. The Crofte’s deserved a proper burial though, with coffins and a service, so Cole and Xavier simply laid them out side by side on the ground until arrangements could be made. Cole took a moment to cover them at least, pulling her own blanket down from the back of her saddle. She figured if that was the only dignity she could offer them, then it would have to do.

With that done, Cole and Xavier turned their attention back to the house. Cole could hear Xavier muttering to himself as they poured over the rubble, both looking for signs of how the fire had started. They knew, of course, that it had been deliberately set; probably with the doors barred to prevent the family’s escape. It wasn’t long before they found exactly what they were looking for either; several extra nails in the debris near where the front door would have stood, and some broken glass on the floor in what had probably been the Crofte’s living room. That broken glass seemed to be the flash point too, with a darker ring of char surrounding it. Clearly, the outlaws had used a bottle of liquor with a cloth wick to start the fire, and Cole knew that tactic all too well too. She’d watched a group of men burn down her own family home using the same method. The sight of that broken glass brought all sorts of cruel memories to Cole’s mind, but she pushed them away and tried to focus when she heard Xavier say, “What— What’s that sound?”

At first, Cole didn’t hear anything, but then she held her breath, and a soft, mewling cry drifted into her ears. It sounded almost muffled, and Cole thought it seemed to be coming from the outhouse. The small building seemed to be mostly untouched, so Cole quickly made her way over to it to investigate. She pulled her gun from its holster before she opened the door, just in case, but it seemed she didn’t need the protection her six-shooter offered her. There, laying on the seat, wrapped in dirty blanket, was a baby; maybe three or four-months-old, if the size was any indication. As far as Cole knew, no one in the Crofte family had been expecting, but the oldest boy, Perry, had been of marrying age, so she thought maybe she just hadn’t heard about the wedding.

Where the child came from didn’t really matter, Cole suspected she’d never find a next of kin anyway. She would try, of course; when she got back to town, she’d send word to all the neighboring counties, but she doubted anyone would come forward to claim the child. Life out on the frontier was hard enough for most people; the thought of an extra, unexpected mouth to feed could easily be enough to stop someone from doing the right thing. Even good people had their limits. If, by some miracle, someone did come forward, it would probably weeks, or even months, before that happened.

Knowing that she could never live with herself if she didn’t do the right thing, Cole made the only decision she could, scooping the child up into her arms as she softly said, “don’t cry, little babe… we’ll take you back to town with us… maybe we can find your family…” As Cole made her way back over to Xavier, she took a couple of moments to check over the child. He seemed like a fairly healthy baby boy, but his coloring was off; Cole immediately wondered how long it had been since he’d eaten. When she got close enough, she heard Xavier snicker a little bit, but she ignored it. She wouldn’t be embarrassed by showing the boy some concern; not with that sweet little face looking up at her like she was an angel.

After that, they poked around for a few more minutes, but of course, they didn’t find anything else of note. Admittedly, with a grumpy baby in her arms, Cole wasn’t much help, but she also didn’t argue when Xavier said he just wanted to be sure they didn’t miss anything. The sight of nothing but burnt buildings was starting to wear on Cole though, so she decided to just wait by the horses until Xavier was done. The ride back to town was just as stressful as the ride out had been, Cole needing to stop every half hour or so and re-secure the squirming child to her chest. By the time they reached the outskirts of town, the boy was downright upset, bawling like a… well, like a baby. Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the near constant wailing, Cole made a beeline for Shorty’s then, thinking that Gus would know what to do to calm the boy down.

What Cole wasn’t expecting, was for Waverly to be there instead of Gus. Of course, Waverly immediately became attached to the child, fawning over him as if he were her own. Honestly, Cole should have been expecting that reaction too, but with everything that had happened that day, she couldn’t help but be distracted. Leaving the boy with Waverly, Cole made her way over to the post office in much the same state, blindly writing out her message before handing it over to Levi to send out on the wire. He seemed in good spirits, greeting Cole with a happy smile, but when he realized how serious Cole’s message really was, he clammed up pretty quickly. The message was thankfully short at least, so it didn’t take Levi long to finish sending it, but then, Cole knew there was nothing to do but wait for a response.

Knowing that there were better things she could be doing with her time, Cole quickly excused herself, offering Levi a solemn ‘goodnight,’ before making her way over to the Sheriff’s office to find Xavier. He was there, of course, and in quite the state too; his eyes burning as he paced back and forth in front of the cells. He was grumbling and cursing as well, using words Cole hadn’t heard in even the seediest of places. She figured he had good enough reason to mad though; Cole was pretty angry herself. It just seemed so senseless, the property damage, the loss of life, and for what? A bunch of cows and some land? Money and Power?

The fact that these outlaws had literally gotten away with murder, time and time again, was the most maddening part of it all. They’d been slipping through the cracks for far too long and Cole felt like she’d rather die than let them get away with it again. Before she could even think, she was growling out, “We _have_ to get these guys, Xavier… I won’t be able to sleep into we do.”

Of course, Xavier agreed with her, quickly growling back, “This is _not_ happening again… Over My Dead Body…” His vehemence carried over into his explanation of their new plan too; one that included a stop by the sawmill to see about getting coffins made for the Crofte’s, as well as a visit to the Tate’s farm later on in the afternoon. By the time Xavier finished laying everything out, he seemed to have calmed somewhat, and Cole was glad for that. It wouldn’t do for them to go off the next day, all half-cocked and looking for fight.

Less than a half-hour later, they were walking back into Shorty’s together; Xavier looking for a hot meal and then his bed, but Cole was looking for Waverly. She hadn’t really meant to leave the orphan boy with Waverly for so long, but if anything, Waverly seemed perfectly at home waiting tables with a baby pressed into her hip. From across the room, Cole could see her, just smiling and carrying on with a couple of customers like she didn’t have a care in the world.

Naturally, Cole didn’t get to spy on Waverly for very long, because maybe three steps through the door, Waverly seemed to sense her and quickly turned to fix Cole with that beaming smile instead. The moment their eyes met, Cole was caught; she didn’t think she could look away if she tried. Waverly just looked so natural, so _beautiful_ , standing there with that baby perched on top of her hip. Suddenly, it didn’t matter that the boy wasn’t theirs, or that he would probably end up going to live somewhere else someday; for the moment, all that mattered was how happy Waverly looked.

Somewhere off to her right, Cole heard Xavier clear his throat, but she didn’t pay him any mind. She just pushed her way through a few empty tables instead, not taking her eyes off Waverly for a second. When she got close enough, Cole wrapped Waverly in the most tender of hugs, careful not to disturb her hold on the boy. Waverly sank into the embrace with a sigh, and Cole nuzzled closer too; close enough to whisper into Waverly’s ear, “you… are a _vision_ …”

Feeling Waverly giggle against her, Cole knew she had probably embarrassed Waverly a little bit, but that didn’t make her words any less true; Waverly would make a beautiful mother. Of course, that realization left Cole feeling even more guilty about not being able to make that happen. An apology almost made its way past Cole’s lips too, but Waverly cut in instead, laughing again as she said, “Ha… You’re not so bad yourself, baby.”

Rolling her eyes, Cole pulled back at that, laughing for a moment herself, before she replied, “I don’t know about that, Waves… I feel like I could soak for a week and not get off all the grime I’ve caked on today.”

It seemed Waverly didn’t mind if Cole was a little grungy though, as Waverly just pulled Cole in tight again and whispered, “well… do we need to take another bath together tonight?” Waverly’s suggestive tone was enough to make Cole’s blood run hot, but combined with her memories of the night before, Cole actually felt like she was starting to sweat. That fire only lasted for just a moment though, before it was quickly squelched by the sound of a crying baby. Cole could only watch then, as Waverly pulled away far enough to shift the boy to her other hip. Again, Cole was struck by how natural they looked together, but still, she found herself grimacing when Waverly added, “Oh, feels like somebody needs a change…”

That wasn’t Cole’s only reaction either; her frown turning much further down when Waverly made to hand her the boy. Cole took him, of course, and without complaint, but she certainly didn’t enjoy the idea of having to clean up after a dirty diaper. The few times she’d changed Alice, Cole had ended up half covered in the mess by the time she was done. Distracted by the unpleasant memory, Cole almost missed it when Waverly said, “You might as well get used to it… He’s staying with us ‘til you find his next of kin.”

Already feeling attached to the boy, Cole knew that wasn’t the best idea, but she had to admit there weren’t really any other options. Most days, Wynonna and Doc had the hands full with Alice, and Pete and Chrissy were just starting to settle into their new home together too. The Perley’s might take him, but Cole felt guilty even thinking about asking them. They’d already taken in one stray when Tadewi had gone to live with them. That had worked out pretty well, but Cole didn’t want to impose on them any further either. Every other person Cole could think of had similar conflicts, so Cole just smiled and said, “Of course, baby… I’ll just, uh, take him in the back and get him cleaned up.”

That seemed like just the right thing to say too, as Waverly smiled back at her and said, “There’s a couple of clean diapers and some powder in a bag by the back door…” Thinking that was that, Cole started to turn towards the kitchen, only for Waverly to call her back, “Would you, uh, would you rinse out the dirty one too? It’ll make it easier to clean later.”

Nearly gagging at just the thought, Cole swallowed before she replied, “S-sure thing, Waves. I’ll be back in a minute.” She turned back towards the kitchen before she could lose her nerve, grumbling when she heard Xavier let out a laugh behind her. Thankfully, she found the clean diapers quickly enough, just where Waverly had said they’d be, but then, Cole was faced with the decision of where to actually change the boy. She didn’t want to do it on any of the tables that were used for food preparation, thinking that wasn’t very sanitary. There didn’t seem to be anywhere else to do it though, unless Cole laid him out on the floor and did it there. She figured she could make the floor work, if she just put something down in between him and the rough boards. Taking a quick glance around, there didn’t seem to be anything laying around that she could use, so Cole just shifted the boy around until she could get her vest off. If she spread it out, it would be just enough space to get the boy clean. Hopefully, Cole could contain the mess inside the boy’s dirty diaper, and not end up needing to wash her vest too.

Once she got the diaper unwrapped, Cole did actually gag; the foul smell overrunning her senses before she could stop it. She pushed her heaving stomach down though, determined to get through this without retching. She managed, but barely, and in the end, it was only the sobering smell of the talcum powder that kept Cole from dry heaving. She was suddenly thankful that she hadn’t eaten much that day; on a full stomach, there probably would have been no stopping her from losing her lunch.

Getting the boy wrapped up in a clean diaper was a much less harrowing experience, and by the time he was settled, Cole’s stomach felt more settled too. Her task wasn’t done yet though, so Cole carried the boy out the back door with her when she went to rinse the dirty diaper at the hand-pump. She held her breath through that whole process, even though it was a bit of a trial, pumping the water with one hand while holding the boy and the dirty diaper in the other. Eventually, she just laid the boy down in the grass a few feet away and used both hands to give the dirty diaper the attention it deserved. He seemed perfectly content now that he was clean and dry, so Cole took her time, rinsing the diaper thoroughly, and the ground around the pump too.

Scooping the boy up on her way back inside, Cole paused in the doorway when she saw a woman she’d never met before standing over by the stove. She figured this must be the new woman Gus had hired, so she quickly cleared her throat and said, “You must be Rosita?”

Naturally, Cole’s cleared throat did nothing to stop Rosita from cursing in surprise as she whirled around, half-shouting, “Shit! You should wear a bell or something…” Raising her free hand in the air, Cole tried to appear as non-threatening as possible, but Rosita didn’t seem inclined to be any more polite as she spat, “Yeah, I’m Rosita… Who are you?”

Feeling a bit stupid, Cole smiled sort of sheepishly as she said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you… I’m Cole, Cole Haught… Waverly’s husband…” She took a step forward then, offering Rosita her hand, but Cole was still met with a steely expression as Rosita took it. Rosita’s handshake was firm right from the start, and Cole gave as good as she got, sensing that a woman like Rosita might appreciate the gesture. When they separated, Rosita scrutinized Cole for only another moment, before turning back to the stove to finish what she was doing. She spun back around only a few seconds later, but this time, she was holding two plates full of food.

At the sight, Cole instantly hoped one of those plates was for her. It looked like a slightly more complex version of the recipe Rosita had given Waverly, and if that was true, Cole was eager to get a taste. In fact, it looked so good that, for a moment, Cole didn’t notice the expectant look on Rosita’s face. Quickly understanding however, Cole moved over to the swinging door that led back into the dining room and held it open, waving Rosita through first. That earned Cole a bit of a smile, and Cole smiled too as she followed Rosita out of the kitchen. From behind, Cole wasn’t quite sure where they were headed, but when Rosita sidled up to Xavier’s table, Cole’s smile widened. Waverly was there chatting with him, so that was reason enough to smile, but when Waverly offered to take the boy so Cole could sit and eat, Cole downright grinned.

The food was just as good as Cole thought it would be; an intricate blend of flavors and textures mixing together into a delightful meal. It wasn’t necessarily better than Waverly’s home-cooking, but it was definitely a very-close second. If the pleased little grunts coming from Xavier’s side of the table were anything to go by, he was enjoying the food too. While Rosita didn’t linger while they ate, heading back over to the bar instead, Waverly stuck around until they were done, talking enough for all three of them. Cole didn’t really mind though; she could listen to Waverly talk all day, but it actually surprised her how easily Xavier took to the conversation, even with his mouth half-full of food most of the time.

Still, Xavier’s involvement only lasted until the food was gone; then, he was off to his room, retiring for the evening. Cole couldn’t blame him for wanting some privacy. She needed time to process the day they’d had too. If Cole was being honest, the only things she wanted in that moment were a hot bath and her bed. She’d prefer if Waverly was included in both of those things, but at that point, she wasn’t going to be picky either.

Thankfully, Curtis came in a few minutes later, relieving Waverly for the night, so they could all leave together. Once they got home, it took a bit of doing, but eventually they got the boy settled in for the night. Maybe only a half-hour after that, Cole found herself sighing as she slid down into the tub. Waverly slid in in front of her too, but with the boy sleeping only a few feet away, it seemed like a strange time for anything intimate. Instead, Cole and Waverly simply took turns washing each other before climbing out of the tub again. They settled into bed in much the same fashion too, only sharing a few soft kisses before snuggling down to sleep themselves.

The next morning was loud and hectic, as neither Cole, nor Waverly, were really used to caring for a baby, but Cole managed to leave the house at around the same time as she usually did. Again, Xavier was waiting for her when she arrived at the Sheriff’s office and after only the briefest of ‘good morning’s,’ they set off towards the sawmill. Fortunately, it only took a few minutes to get things arranged for the Crofte’s, even if Kyle York seemed a little hesitant at first. Cole could understand that though; in the brief time that she had known him, they’d already buried several bodies together. She figured he simply wasn’t looking forward to seeing more death. Eventually, he agreed to handle everything though, from building the coffins to actually riding out to the Crofte’s to collect their bodies for burial. He said he’d even get Pete involved so they could get it done the same day.

With that weight off Cole’s shoulders, at least for the moment, she was able to get on the rest of her day, but still, she spent the entire trip out to the Tate’s ranch trying to organize her thoughts. It was just as well, as Xavier seemed deep in his own thoughts as well. By the time they got to the Tate’s, Cole actually felt confident enough to take the lead in the questioning them. It seemed Cole’s instincts were spot-on too, when Mama Olive explained that a group of men had come through the week before, looking for a place to shack up for the night.

Apparently, Herman Jr. had vouched for them, claiming he knew them from somewhere back east, so Mama Olive had haughtily agreed to letting them pitch their tents in one of the unused fields. When she woke up the next morning, the men were gone, but evidently, so were two of her best-looking steers. Of course, she hadn’t made any complaints about theft at the time, as Herman Jr. had covered for his friends. When that all came out in the wash right there on the Tate’s front porch, Cole had to fight down a grimace as Mama Olive took her son to task for the lie. Not two days before, Cole had watched Dylan Hardy threaten Champ, but that seemed like child’s play compared to Mama Olive’s wrath.

After the beating, complete with ear-pulling and head slapping, Cole managed to take an official statement, making notes about what each man looked like and which direction Mama Olive thought they might have gone. Around the time they were done, Hetty came out and asked if Cole and Xavier wanted anything for the road, but they both politely refused, excusing themselves back to town instead. Cole made sure to warn the Tate’s before they left, telling them to keep watch at night just in case the thieves came back; and, with more in mind than just stealing a couple of cows. The grisly scene at the Crofte’s was still fresh in her mind, and the last thing Cole wanted was to have that happen to the Tate’s.

Once Cole and Xavier got back to town, it was nearly dark, so Cole suggested they call it a night, and then regroup again in the morning. She was grateful when Xavier didn’t argue with her about it. She simply didn’t think she was capable of hashing things out just then. After the long day the day before, all that death and destruction, and then the long day in the saddle that day, Cole felt bone-tired and weary. She did have a small sense of hope however; she knew that her first stop the next day would be the post office, so she could put out another telegram. With possible-physical descriptions of the outlaws they were looking for, she could warn everyone in south-east Colorado in a matter of minutes.

The ride home passed in a blur, and before she knew it, Cole found herself riding up on the homestead. It was a welcome sight; the line of smoke rising up out of the stovepipe, the windows lit with a warm glow. It was so inviting that Cole wanted to just head straight for the house, but she knew there would likely be more riding to be done the next day. She figured Jane deserved a little pampering for carting her around all day that day anyway.

Getting Jane into the barn and settled in her stall took no time at all, but Cole made sure to take her time brushing Jane down and checking over her hooves for dirt or debris. It wouldn’t do to have Jane go lame because Cole was tired. Naturally, Jane whickered softly as Cole worked, pleased at the attention. Cole chuckled when Jane went so far as to nuzzle into her hand when she brought the brush to the sides of her neck. The affection made Cole grin, and not for the first time, Cole thanked her lucky stars that fate had put a beautiful, gentle animal like Jane in her path.

Sliding some honeyed oats into Jane’s feed bucket, Cole eventually made her way out of the barn, only to end up dragging her feet as she made her way across the yard. That is, until she spotted Waverly through the kitchen window, bent over the stove, heating up some food. Cole stopped altogether then, smiling all over again, as she took in the sight of the babe swaddled to Waverly’s chest. In fact, Cole wasn’t actually sure how long she stood there on the porch, watching Waverly flit around the kitchen, but when their eyes finally met through the window, Cole’s legs instantly started moving.

As Cole made her way inside, Waverly’s smile got even brighter, and Cole couldn’t help but catch on to it, her own smile widening as Waverly greeted her from across the room, “Hey, baby… you hungry?”

Up until that point, Cole wasn’t sure she even had the energy to eat, but with Waverly looking at her like she hung the stars, Cole nodded and said, “Yeah, but I think I’d like a kiss first.” Waverly moved into her space so easily then, sidling around the stove to drape her free arm over Cole’s shoulder. Cole wrapped her arms around Waverly too, pulling her close before pressing their lips together. It was only a chaste kiss though, as the babe between them didn’t seem to like being squished. Waverly stepped back with a chuckle, and Cole watched in awe as Waverly turned away to shush the boy back to sleep.

When Waverly turned back to her, Cole thought Waverly was going to say something, but then Waverly’s mouth simply opened and closed again. The shift might have just been a yawn, but then Waverly’s mouth opened again. Cole definitely wasn’t prepared for what came out of it either, as Waverly casually said, “I, uh, I think we should name him Nicholas…”

For just a moment, all Cole could think was that the boy probably already had a name; it was just lost in someone else’s memory. He’d had parents, and even though they were gone, they’d surely had a whole life planned out for him. Suddenly, Cole wondered what she was thinking when she brought this child into Waverly’s life. No matter how much they wanted him, Cole knew they wouldn’t be able to keep him, and when the time came, it would probably break Waverly’s heart having to let him go. The fact that Waverly wanted to call him Nicholas was truly touching, but that imminent pain made the name even harder for Cole to accept.

Even though she was sure her voice would rough from the strain she felt, Cole tried to speak, but she only got as far as croaking out Waverly’s name before Waverly was interrupting her, saying, “I— _I know_ , Cole… We probably won’t get to keep him, but… but we do need something to call him until somebody comes to get him.” Despite how sure Waverly’s words seemed, Cole could tell her voice was a little strained too, but that didn’t seem to stop Waverly from softly adding, “It might be wrong, but I really hope we can keep him…”

The desperation in Waverly’s tone quickly softened Cole’s hardening heart. She couldn’t lie; she was really hoping they could keep him too, if for no other reason than how happy Waverly looked holding him. She stepped back into Waverly’s space then, hoping to bring Waverly comfort with her closeness as she said, “It’s not wrong, baby… but _we_ can’t get our hopes up…”

Waverly seemed to pick up on the subtle way Cole emphasized the word _we_ , and smiled as she hesitantly replied, “You’re right… but I just can’t help it, you know? He’s so beautiful, and such a good baby too. He’s really only cried like three times today. I mean, Alice is a year-old and she cries more than that in the first hour of the day.” That made Cole chuckle a little bit, because it was true. Sometimes, they could still hear Alice’s middle-of-the-night wails all the way over from the main house. The next day, Wynonna would always joke that Alice was training to be an opera singer, but Cole could tell that the sound of Alice’s cries had hurt Wynonna just the same. She wondered if someday she would feel that way about the boy’s loud, hungry cries.

Something told Cole that she’d already begun to feel that way though. Her quick decision to bring him home was one thing, but actually seeing him swaddled to Waverly’s chest pulled at Cole’s heartstrings. Holding Waverly in her arms, with their son pressed in between them, was a dream, but it was one that might actually have a chance of coming true. She decided right then and there, that if it was meant to be, then it was meant to be, so she said, “I’ve already sent out a telegram looking for a next of kin, but assuming nobody comes to claim him, I say we adopt him...”

The beaming smile Cole received in response pulled at her heart too, and she sighed as Waverly pressed in close to give her another kiss. It was chaste again too, but really, Cole didn’t mind, not when Waverly pulled back and said, “Nicholas Earp Haught it is then… that way when he grows up, he can be Cole E. Haught, Jr.” That threw Cole for another loop, but when she really thought about it, she kind of loved the idea of carrying on her family name, even if it was through an adopted son. They’d just have to get to the actual adoption part to make it official.

After that, Cole ate supper in relative silence, simply listening as Waverly chatted happily about her day. Evidently, there’d been a bit of excitement in Shorty’s that afternoon. Waverly snickered through most of the story, but apparently, Wynonna had caught Rosita drooling over Doc and hadn’t taken too kindly to it. It wasn’t hard to figure out why; Cole had to admit that Rosita was pretty woman. Not as beautiful as Waverly, obviously, but Cole could see Rosita’s appeal; exotic features, with those big, dark eyes and even darker hair. With Doc’s history, namely his ‘on-again-off-again’ relationship with ‘Big Nose’ Kate, Wynonna probably felt even more threatened by Rosita, but Cole knew for a fact that Doc wasn’t thinking about making a change. He’d already told Cole he was looking for a ring.

Still, Cole knew she wouldn’t appreciate it if she found some man sniffing after Waverly either, so she found herself sympathizing with Wynonna all the more. Waverly said Rosita had apologized, and Wynonna had accepted, but Cole knew that Wynonna could hold grudge too. She hoped, for all their sakes, that Doc hurried up with that ring.

By the time Waverly was finished with her tale, Cole was just sopping up the last few bits of her potatoes, and she smiled when Waverly didn’t miss a beat, rising from the table to clear their plates as she said, “I heard a little rumor today too… Apparently, Eliza Shapiro is interested in being your deputy, if you’ll have her anyway.”

Cole was glad she’d finished her meal, because if her mouth had been full, she’d have probably spewed everywhere. Literally sputtering at the thought, Cole tried to wrap her head around the thought of having an openly female deputy. Cole was a woman too, of course, but she wore the ‘Cole E. Haught’ persona like a suit of armor, and it protected her from any stigma. In the general public’s eyes, Cole was a man, and she was afforded the full respect of her position as Sheriff because of it. Eliza didn’t have that; every time Cole had ever seen her, Eliza had always been dressed in skirts and blouses, whether she was laughing and drinking at Shorty’s or smiling sweetly at Cole from across the general store. Cole didn’t even know enough about her to know if Eliza knew how to use a gun.

That brought up an interesting thought though; if Eliza could shoot, there was a possibility that Cole could work it out. If Eliza could prove herself capable, Cole could use her position as Sheriff to their advantage. She figured if someone in town questioned her for taking Eliza on, it wouldn’t really matter anyway. Cole was the one with the authority to hire her somebody extra if she thought it was necessary. More than once, she and Nedley had temporarily hired on Pete and Kyle, and nobody around town had even batted an eye. She knew that if she could get Xavier on board, to officially deputize Eliza, that would probably go a long way with anyone above her pay grade too. Of course, that all depended on if Eliza was capable, and again, not knowing much about her, Cole turned to her favorite source of information and asked Waverly, “Is that so? Well, I don’t know much about her… What’s she like?”

Waverly launched into another long-winded explanation then, telling Cole all about Eliza’s rough upbringing. Apparently, she’d lost her mother to cholera when she was only eight years old, and then, it was just her and her father and her four older brothers after that. That is, until her father remarried a few years later. It seemed that Eliza had been most upset by that, that her father had betrayed her mother by taking a new wife. It turned out that Eliza’s new stepmother was a kind, and patient, woman though, and had eventually won Eliza over. Eliza’s life became a little less tragic after that, but Waverly said that, every year, Eliza was still a wreck when the anniversary of her mother’s death came around. That was understandable; every April, Cole felt the same the way.

The anniversary of her father’s death seemed to be loom over Cole even more then, with the image of the Crofte’s mangled bodies still fresh in her mind, but she quickly shook herself out of those thoughts, focusing back on the conversation at hand instead. It seemed Waverly had talked herself out too, so Cole finally just said, “I guess we all know a little tragedy, don’t we?” Waverly’s sad nod hurt Cole even more though, as she thought about Waverly’s own long-lost mother. Waverly didn’t even have the closure of a grave to visit, as her mother had just up and left one day. Cole knew how much that affected Waverly too, leaving her with a thousand questions and no answers; and, to Waverly, that was the most upsetting part, simply not knowing what became of her mother.

Quickly crossing to her wife, Cole wrapped her arms around Waverly’s middle as she stood at their pump sink. She instantly felt Nicholas’s little body under her hands and sighed as he cooed and squirmed into her touch. Waverly sighed softly as well, and Cole took the small sounds as encouragement, wrapping her body more tightly around them both. Waverly sniffled a little bit at first, but Cole just buried her face in Waverly’s shoulder until Waverly melted into her frame.

They stood there like that for a long time too, Cole just enjoying the closeness, but eventually, Waverly broke the silence, softly saying, “I think Eliza could make a good deputy for you… I know she hunts with her dad sometimes, when he needs a second pair of eyes, so she knows how to rough it a bit, and she won the town turkey shoot one time too. I think that was the year most people had the flu and couldn’t get out to the church that day, but still, she hit the bullseye three out of five shots, so there’s that...”

The gentle enthusiasm in Waverly’s tone was as convincing as her words, and before Cole could think twice about it, she said, “Well, with endorsements like that, how can I refuse? If you see her before I do will you tell her to come by and see me at the office?” Waverly just nodded softly against the side of Cole’s head, and that seemed to be that. They eventually separated, and Waverly went back to cleaning up after supper. Not wanting Waverly to have to struggle with Nicholas against her chest and the dishes in her hands, Cole offered to take him and put him down for the night. That earned her a soft smile, one that Cole couldn’t have been happier to create. Nicholas was a good baby too, settling into his little palette on the floor without complaint. She smiled when she realized she’d have to ask Kyle York to make them a crib, as they were hopefully going to need somewhere for Nicholas to sleep long term.

The next morning, their usual routine was upset again by the addition of a cooing, crying babe, but Cole didn’t really mind the interruption. Naturally, Nicholas was hungry when he woke up, but Waverly simply smiled as she ushered him off to the other room, feeding him breakfast while Cole got dressed for the day. Of course, Nicholas wet his diaper immediately after that, but Waverly seemed to take that in stride too, cleaning him and wrapping him up in a new scrap of cloth before rinsing his soiled diaper out in the sink. So, what if Cole had to make her own breakfast that morning, and her coffee too; she still didn’t mind, not with Waverly singing softly in the background, tending to their son.

Despite all the upheaval to their schedule, they left the house around the regular time; Waverly piling into the wagon with Wynonna and Alice and Nicholas, while Cole and Doc rode alongside on horseback. It seemed that Wynonna had a thousand questions about Nicholas that morning; where he’d come from, and how long he was staying, and all that, but Cole just smiled as Waverly answered all Wynonna’s questions. It wasn’t hard to hear the hope rising in her wife’s voice with each response, and Cole couldn’t help the way hope rose in her heart too.

When they reached the edge of town, Cole leaned over in her saddle, smiling again as she pressed a quick kiss to Waverly’s lips. Of course, Waverly said the same thing she always said when they went their separate ways in the morning, simply, “Be careful, because I love you…” Cole replied in kind, as she always did, but this time she moved back in for an extra kiss before she steered Jane towards the other end of town. She decided to ignore the fake gagging sounds coming from behind her, figuring that if Wynonna had objections about her being with Waverly, she should have said something a long time ago.

Before Cole went to meet Xavier, she decided to just hit the post office first and get that out of the way. When she got there though, Levi seemed surprised to see her, and he simply stared up at her like she was crazy when she handed him the message that she needed him to send. It was a long message; Cole knew that, but when she explained how urgent it was, Levi seemed to perk right up, turning towards his telegraph with gusto. Again, with nothing to do but wait for a response, Cole took her leave from Levi, but instead of heading straight for her office, she took a detour to Shorty’s for another cup of coffee. It was already promising to be a long day, and she figured she could use the pick-me-up if she was going to survive. If she managed to squeeze in another few moments with Waverly and Nicholas, Cole really couldn’t be blamed either; the two of them, together, was just irresistible.

Finally dragging herself out of Shorty’s a half an hour later, Cole made her way over to the Sheriff’s office at last, but to her surprise, and amusement, Eliza Shapiro was already standing out front waiting for her when she arrived. Not wanting to assume anything, Cole decided to greet her as politely as she could, offering her a gentle, “Good Morning, Miss Shapiro… To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Eliza’s brow furrowed at that, but Cole smiled when she said, “None of that now, Sheriff… Can’t have you calling ‘Miss Shapiro’ when we’re chasing down the bad guys. Eliza will do just fine.”

Chuckling at Eliza’s abrupt, clipped tone, Cole quickly corrected herself, smirking as she said, “Well then, _Miss Eliza,_ to what do I owe the pleasure?”

That little crinkle in Eliza’s brow didn’t relax, but Cole didn’t really expect it to either. She was being cheeky, and she knew it, but she simply couldn’t help herself. Eliza’s overconfident attitude was too tempting; Cole simply had to mess with her. The teasing would help her gauge Eliza’s reactions too, because surely, Eliza would be getting some guff as a female Sheriff’s deputy. Cole found herself smiling again when Eliza replied though, her tone was just as haughty as she said, “Well, I’d like a chance to be your new deputy, actually…”

If she hadn’t already known, Cole might have been surprised, but since she did know, she simply asked, “And what makes you think you’d be a good deputy?”

Her quick response seemed to throw Eliza for a second, but Cole’s smile widened when she finally replied, “To start, I’ve got four older brothers, so I’m used to fighting and getting beat up. I’m a better shot than any of them too. My daddy always takes me along when he goes hunting…” Eliza seemed to think for another second before she added, “To be honest, Sheriff, I’ve gotta do this. I just can’t spend the rest of my life wondering if I coulda done something more, you know?”

The way Eliza talked about her ‘daddy’ tugged at Cole’s heart, making her feel like she might actually get choked up thinking about her own father. There was a need in Eliza’ voice that helped Cole focus though; that need to prove herself, to make her ‘daddy’ proud of her. That just brought up more questions however, like what would Eliza’s father say about his only daughter taking on a dangerous, and mostly thankless, profession. After trying to find a way to be delicate about that, Cole finally said, “I know that feeling all too well, but what does your _daddy_ think of all this?”

It seemed Eliza was ready for that question, as she quickly blurted out, “He knows, I promise… You can even speak to him yourself, if you want. He’s over at Pete’s buying me a new bridle as we speak. He, uh, he said he couldn’t have me _serving our town_ with my old, ratty one.”

Eliza’s straightforward nature was definitely growing on Cole, making her think that Eliza might actually make a good deputy, but she had one more question, so she quickly said, “I might do that, but first, are you planning on _chasing down the bad guys_ in that pretty dress, or do you have something for riding?”

That earned Cole a little chuckle from Eliza, but it wasn’t long before she replied, “Nah, I’ve got plenty of hand-me-downs to choose from.”

Liking that answer just as much as Eliza’s others, Cole made her decision, and smiled again as she said, “Well, go on and change then, and when you get back, we’ll see about getting you deputized.” Much to Cole’s enjoyment, Eliza actually sputtered then; her large lips flapping against each other for a second before she nodded and started to turn away. Thinking that she wasn’t really sure what might be on their agenda for the day though, Cole called out to Eliza as she started to move off, saying, “And, pack a bag… we might be out late tonight…”

The smirk on Eliza’s face was coy, when she looked over her shoulder and said, “Oh, I’ll be ready for anything… Don’t you worry.” Just from that look, Cole wouldn’t have doubted her, but after actually speaking to Eliza, Cole got the impression that Eliza was already ready for anything, even in that frilly dress. There was a tenacity and determination there as well, and Cole knew those traits would go a long way towards making Eliza a great deputy; she just had to get the idea by Xavier first.

Realizing that she’d probably put off the inevitable long enough, Cole finally made her way inside, only to find Xavier already aware of her conversation with Eliza. The walls of her office weren’t terribly thick, so that made sense, but what didn’t make sense, was Xavier’s almost immediate acceptance of the situation. When he said, “It’s your town, Cole. I’m not going to tell you who to choose as your deputy,” Cole nearly choked. Somehow, she managed to keep herself composed though, as he continued, “Actually, I find the best resources usually come from unexpected places…”

There was a something more to that statement, but in her shock, Cole couldn’t quite nail down what it was; it was just this little niggling feeling, like there was more Xavier had wanted to say. That nagging feeling was familiar too, suddenly making Cole realize that Xavier was constantly censoring himself around her. She had a feeling she knew what that was about though; obviously, he’d figured out who she was, but he just wasn’t sure how to bring it up. Honestly, Cole wasn’t sure either. The last time she’d been outed, it had been by mistake. Not that Cole was dissatisfied with how that had turned out; Waverly’s blurted love confession had had a very good outcome. She’d been scared when she’d told Wyatt too, but she’d loved Waverly enough to take the chance. Without that kind of motivation, Cole couldn’t be sure that coming clean was worth the risk.

Living as a man just came so naturally; it made Cole feel more like herself than anything else in the world, but still, she’d hidden things from Xavier, and she felt guilty about that. In fact, she was still hiding things from him, and she couldn’t imagine that lying to him was creating the sort of trust they needed to have between them. If they were going to go after these outlaws together, Cole knew she needed to tell him; and, sooner rather than later. Figuring there’d be no better time than the present, Cole decided to just bite the bullet, so to speak. She quickly cleared her throat, hoping to keep the strain out of her voice when she finally said, “Well, uh, speaking of unexpected places, I guess there’s something I should probably tell you…” Taking a deep breath, Cole steeled herself, hoping to shore herself up against the backlash before she continued, “My name’s not Cole Haught… it’s _Nicole_ Haught.”

A heavy silence hung in between them then, and Cole thought she might actually choke with how thick the air became. The longer the silence went on, the harder Xavier became to read too; his expression eventually turning completely impassive. Staring back at him, Cole immediately thought she’d made a fatal error, but then, it was as if a switch flipped, Xavier’s face softening as he said, “You can call yourself whatever you want, but you’ll still be _Sheriff_ Haught to me.”

The wave of relief that washed through Cole was almost palpable, and she sighed as the heaviness in the air quickly dissipated. Xavier steered their conversation away from personal matters pretty quickly too, pushing through the lingering awkwardness to ask Cole about her visit to the post office. She was still a little shaky from the adrenaline rushing through her veins, but she managed to explain Levi’s reluctance to send a such a long message; at least, until she’d told him why. Xavier grimaced a little at that but didn’t interrupt so Cole followed up her explanation by saying, “I guess there’s not much to do about it until we get a response though… if we get a response.”

Xavier seemed optimistic however, and he actually smiled when he said, “We won’t hold out on a prayer, Cole… I’ve got at least two places for us to try today, so maybe we’ll get lucky.” Cole wanted to share in his enthusiasm, but for some reason, she just couldn’t. There was no way stopping these outlaws would be that easy. Cole had to admit that his plan for the day was pretty simple though; a visit to the Hashford’s farm, with a stopover at the Gardner’s place after that. Henry Hashford owned some land that butted up to the Tate’s, so that stop seemed like a reasonable place to start, but Cole wasn’t sure why Xavier wanted to visit the Gardner estate.

True, the Gardner’s were some of the wealthiest people in the area, but Cole thought their money came from their stake in the railroad, not livestock. They probably had the resources to move the outlaw’s stolen cattle, but Cole wasn’t sure they had the contacts to get rid of the cows once they’d been moved. Xavier acted like they were suspects anyway though, claiming simply, “Greed is a powerful motivator.” Of course, he was right, and Cole knew that, but she still felt like that stop would probably be a waste of their time.

Worrying about wasted time, and what that could mean, Cole was thankful it was only another half hour before Eliza Shapiro came walking through the door of the Sheriff’s office, looking loaded for bear. She was carrying two pistols, one of each hip, and there was an impressive-looking brush gun slung over one of her shoulders. She’d traded in her frilly dress for a set of matching riding leathers too. They looked just a little big, like they’d once belonged to someone slightly taller and wider at the shoulder, but with how easily Eliza seemed to move, Cole didn’t think the extra leather would be a hindrance. Eliza’s strut was a confident one too, when she sidled up to Cole’s desk and asked boldly, “So, Sheriff, will _these_ do?”

Shaking her head, Cole smiled as she got up from her desk chair. She crossed around the end of her desk before she spoke though, taking in an eye full of Eliza’s knee-high leather moccasins as she finally said, “Yes, I think they’ll do just fine… Hopefully, we won’t need all that hardware though.”

Eliza chuckled at that, smiling a little shyly as she replied, “Well, I did say I’d be ready for anything…” Cole couldn’t help letting out a little laugh too, but it was quickly cut off by Xavier clearing his throat. Turning towards him, Cole started to introduce the two of them, but Eliza beat her to it, crossing towards Xavier with that same swagger as she said, “Marshall Dolls, it’s a pleasure to meet you… I’m Eliza Shapiro.”

It was strange that Eliza seemed to know who Xavier really was, but it was even more surprising when Xavier accepted Eliza’s outstretched hand, and smiled as he said, “Miss Shapiro, the pleasure is mine…” Cole nearly rolled her eyes at the obvious flirting, but when Eliza giggled in response, she held off. Clearly, Xavier was interested in Eliza, and if Eliza’s reaction was anything to go by, she was interested too; especially because she didn’t correct him the way she had Cole earlier.

Their grasp lingered a little longer than necessary too, but Cole wasn’t about to interrupt whatever was going on between them. She simply turned back to her desk and busied herself with the papers there until she heard Eliza say, “So, Sheriff, what do I gotta do to become your new deputy?”

When Cole turned back to the two of them, she smiled at their smiling faces and said, “Well, there’s a couple papers to sign… I can read them to you, if you can’t, and, then the Marshall here can make it official.”

It was as simple as that too; Eliza signed the papers without even really reading them, and then Xavier put his signature on a few of them, and that was that. The gravity of the situation didn’t really sink in until Cole was pinning the badge to Eliza’s vest, and when Eliza thanked her for the opportunity, all Cole could think to say was, “Please don’t make me regret this, Eliza. I— I’ve got enough blood on my hands… I’d rather yours didn’t join it.”

Eliza seemed to understand the underlying meaning there and gave Cole the most solemn of nods as she replied, “Don’t worry, Sheriff… I know when to fight, and when to hide.” The quiet confidence of that statement reassured Cole a little bit, but she still couldn’t shake the feeling that, somehow, she would be responsible for Eliza’s death. Maybe that was just her own morbidity imposing itself of the situation, but she knew that if Eliza got hurt or killed, she would feel accountable anyway.

Trying to push those thoughts aside, Cole gathered herself a little bit before she finally said, “Well, alright then… we should get a move on.” Xavier and Eliza both nodded then, and they all started to make their way towards the door, but Cole took one last glance at the signed papers on her desk. She just had to hope that she knew what she was doing.

Unfortunately, those thoughts haunted Cole the entire two hours it took them to reach the Hashford’s place; to the point where she couldn’t even concentrate as Eliza went over what she knew about the Hashford’s history. As they rode up on the house, she had to force herself to focus, thinking that if there was anything to learn here, she wanted to learn it; information that would help her protect her town, would help her protect Eliza too.

At first, it seemed like their trip out there was a total bust though. The Hashford’s farmed wheat and corn mostly, so they didn’t have any complaints about missing livestock. They hadn’t seen anybody on their land that they didn’t recognize either, only saying that they’d seen Herman Tate Jr. riding through their back-ten the week before. Cole read that for what it was however; Herman had been looking for their missing steers, or maybe, just the men who had taken them.

After a few minutes of thinking on that, Cole realized that even though Herman had vouched for the outlaws, he wasn’t actually involved with their day to day dealings. Otherwise, he probably would’ve been with them when they’d stolen away from the Tate’s ranch in the middle of the night. That realization came with a bit of a relief too, as Cole definitely hadn’t been looking forward to arresting Herman for collusion with murderers. Mama Olive may have beaten the snot out of him the day before, but Cole also knew she was a fiercely protective woman; she probably wouldn’t take to kindly to Cole arresting her only son.

There didn’t seem to be anything else to learn from the Hashford’s after that, so Cole left them with the same warning she’d given the Tate’s; just because they didn’t run cattle didn’t mean they couldn’t become a target for some other reason. She didn’t even want to think about having to send Pete and Kyle out to their farm to bury their bodies as well. To be honest, she wasn’t sure she could handle doing it herself either; there’d just been too much death already.

On the ride over to the Gardner’s estate, Cole tried to stay focused this time, and actually managed to listen as Eliza laid out some of the Gardner’s history. Apparently, the family’s railroad money had turned out three absolutely spoiled children. Cole had met Mercedes a couple times at Shorty’s and thought she was a little uppity, but Eliza explained that since their father’s death, Mercedes had actually grown up a lot. Her younger sister, Beth, was stuck in her petty ways though. Eliza described her as, “the worst kind of busy body, always sticking her nose in places where it didn’t belong.” She went on to explain that the real problem child was the youngest, Tucker. Evidently, the family had forced out of Denver after he’d been accused of using his money to abuse a few saloon girls. Naturally, that made Cole wonder if Waverly had ever had any trouble with him and she decided to ask Waverly about him the next time they saw each other.

Another juicy tidbit about the Gardner’s, was that Mercedes was actually the one in charge of their holdings in the railroad, as their father had left her the business when he died. It was definitely strange for a woman to be so heavily involved in a business of that size, but Cole figured with the kind of money Daniel Gardner had, he could do just about anything he wanted in his will. Mercedes recent personal growth suddenly made sense too; that kind of responsibility definitely had the power to make or break a person.

Hearing about Beth and Tucker, Cole dreaded actually knocking on their door, but thankfully, it was Mercedes that eventually greeted them, all smiles as she said, “Sheriff, it’s so good to see you… and who’s this with you? E—Eliza, is that you?”

From the way Mercedes said Eliza’s name, it was obvious that Eliza had left out at least part of their history together, but Cole didn’t comment on it, choosing to steer Mercedes attention the other direction instead as she replied, “Yes, and this is US Marshall Xavier Dolls… I believe he has some questions for you.”

A brief look of shock crossed Mercedes face then, but it was only there for a flash before her smile widened and she said, “Well, then… I’d be happy to answer any that I can. I’ve got nothing to hide.” In Cole’s experience, that usually meant that there was something to hide, but she consigned herself to wait on passing judgement until they’d talked further.

It seemed that Mercedes was being honest though, as she was very forthcoming in answering their questions. Of course, she didn’t know anything about stolen cows, or the outlaws they were looking for, but she did have one shipping client that regularly moved cattle on her trains. The instant Mercedes said the name, Cole was started kicking herself for not thinking of it first. Bulshar Clootie owned the most land out of anyone in Bent County, and probably the surrounding counties too. If she remembered correctly, he mostly farmed his land for timber, but maybe Clootie was breaking into the cattle business on his cleared land. She thought she would have heard about that through the town rumor mill, but if he was being discreet about it, then maybe not. With more questions than answers there, Cole knew they’d be paying Kyle York another visit before the day was over, as she was pretty sure he got all his lumber from Clootie.

Mercedes’ font of knowledge didn’t stop there either, as she willfully volunteered some information about her brother. Apparently, he was missing; although, he’d left of his own accord, so Mercedes hadn’t reported him as such before. His running off struck a chord with Cole too; the timing was just so suspicious, but without knowing where he was or what he was up to, she couldn’t assume that he was involved. Maybe he’d decided to strike it out on his own, or maybe, he’d run off to join the circus; either way, there was no way to know without finding him. That was a daunting thought however, with a long list of people ahead of him left to find, but Cole knew that she’d be making another trip over to the post office when they got back to town too. At least this time, maybe Levi would have some good news for her, instead of just a shocked stare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The good news is, I've been editing ahead, so it shouldn't take me too long to get Chapter 4 posted...
> 
> The bad news is, Chapter 5 is going to end up getting a major rewrite/addition. I realized that I was missing a golden opportunity for some drama and I just have to add it in. Now, that means it may take longer for me to get Chapter 5 posted, but I'm sure it'll be worth the wait... Who doesn't love drama?
> 
> Anyway, until next time, I'll leave you with this little tidbit about what's coming up in Chapter 4... Inventor Waverly strikes again... ;~)


	4. Chapter 4

Naturally, by the time they got back to town, it was too late to accomplish much, as Levi and Kyle had both already closed up shop for the day. It was a bit unusual that Levi had left the post office before sundown, but Cole figured he just had something he needed to do. It was the opposite for Kyle at the sawmill, as Cole had ridden by there several afternoons and found him already gone for the day. Thinking it would be easy to stop by Kyle’s place on her way home, Cole volunteered to go by and see what he had to say by herself. Speaking to him one on one would probably make it easier to talk to him, but it would also save them time the next day too. It was sure to be a long ride out to the Clootie’s; six hours at least, so if she could get what they needed out of Kyle on her way home, it was all the better.

The sun was just barely dipping below the horizon when Cole got to Kyle’s, and even though she was interrupting his supper, Kyle was quite aggregable about talking to her. Unfortunately, he didn’t really know much more than Cole did about Bulshar Clootie. He was Kyle’s main supplier of timber, but that was all Kyle knew about the man. He’d never been out to Clootie’s place, only ever having met up with him in town, but he did offer his personal opinion about Clootie though, eventually saying, “I don’t know what it is, but he just gives me the willies, you know? Maybe, it’s his smile, like he knows something he shouldn’t… At least I don’t have to deal with him directly anymore.”

A little confused by that, Cole asked Kyle who he did deal with, and when he said that Clootie’s man, Richard Moody, was his main contact, something clicked in her head. It was the way Kyle referred to Moody, like he was Clootie’s property, that struck Cole as odd. She instantly wondered if Clootie was one of those holdovers from the Confederacy; the kind of man who had moved his money west after the war, trying to keep his slaves. If that was the case, his disposition would certainly make for an interesting conversation the next day, as Cole was sure he wouldn’t appreciate being questioned by Xavier. She almost hoped his presence did upset Clootie though; if he was backing the outlaws they were after, maybe he’d get angry and slip up.

Knowing that now she was just wasting Kyle’s time, Cole let him get back to his supper then, thanking him twice before she left; once, for the information, and once, for taking care of the Crofte’s. He gave her a solemn nod in response to that, choking up a little bit as he said, “It was damned awful, seeing them like that, but I’m… I’m glad Pete and I could give them some of their dignity back. Perry was… he was our friend.” Seeing his eyes fill with water, Cole felt a pang too, and simply placed her hand on his shoulder for a moment before turning to leave. She knew he wouldn’t want her to see him actually cry anyway.

The ride from Kyle’s to the homestead was thankfully short, but when she got there, Waverly was nowhere to be found. That was definitely odd, as she was sure Waverly would have come home from town by then. The silence of the house was unnerving too, so Cole decided to check the main house and see if Waverly was just visiting with Doc and Wynonna. She really didn’t want to think about where Waverly might be if she wasn’t there.

Only half-way across the yard, Cole was relieved when she finally spotted Waverly through the back window. She just stood there for a moment too, struck by the look of absolute joy on Waverly’s face. Cole could make out Nicholas cradled against her chest; him in one hand and a bottle in the other, with a rubber tube connecting the two together. He seemed happy too, fat cheeks hollowed as he drank his dinner.

As if by some stroke of intuition, Waverly looked up then; through the window and straight into Cole’s eyes. The smile that spread across Waverly’s face was a sight to behold; a truly, toothy grin, one that crinkled all the way up to the corners of her eyes. Cole responded in kind, her dimples surely on display, but when Waverly looked at her like that, Cole couldn’t help but smile too.

Of course, their moment was rudely interrupted, as Wynonna’s head leaned into Cole’s view. She didn’t even need to be able to read Wynonna’s lips; she could hear her sister-in-law loud and clear, through the window and the wall, when she said, “You coming in, or are you just gonna stand there looking dumb all night?”

Shaking her head, Cole got herself moving then, only grumbling a little bit as she made her way across the yard. She didn’t care if she looked dumb; she couldn’t really be blamed anyway. All Waverly had to do was look at her and Cole’s brain was swept away.

Thankfully, Alice was babbling in her highchair when Cole got inside, so Wynonna was a bit too distracted to continue her teasing. That meant Cole could focus all her attention on Waverly instead, and she found herself smiling all over again as she watched Waverly shift Nicholas in her arms like he was precious. That was the truth too; he was precious. Even if, he wasn’t really _theirs_ , he was theirs for the moment, and that made him special.

When Waverly looked up at her again, her lips were puckered expectantly, and Cole chuckled as she made her way over. They shared a quick little peck before Cole pulled away to say, “Hey baby… I missed you today.” There was a soft gagging sound from behind her, but Cole ignored it in favor of kissing Waverly again. Not surprisingly, that drew more retching noises, but when Cole pulled away again, she put an end to it, turning to call out over shoulder, “Wynonna, you alright? Not pregnant again, are you?”

Wynonna huffed in response, but remained silent beyond that, and Cole felt herself grow a little smug. It wasn’t often she outwitted Wynonna. She only got to enjoy it for a moment though before Waverly slapped at her arm. Some of that pride was drifted away then, but when she looked back at Waverly, Cole could see she was trying not to laugh too. Once Cole’s back was turned, Wynonna grumbled a little bit again, saying something about, “once was enough…” but even with the harsh tone, Cole knew Wynonna couldn’t be happier about having Alice. Wynonna loved her daughter and that was as plain as day; as plain as the dumb smile on her face whenever she looked at Alice.

Not wanting to push her luck, Cole didn’t respond to the sideways comment, choosing to settle in at the table instead. As she took her seat, Waverly leaned in beside her head and whispered, “i missed you too…”

Hearing Waverly say that was definitely worth a few jabs back and forth with Wynonna; it was worth all that and more. Of course, Wynonna didn’t let them linger in that moment either, as Cole heard her say, “Well, I hope you’re hungry. I think I made enough meatloaf to feed all six of us… probably twice over.”

At first, Cole didn’t catch Wynonna’s meaning, but when Doc walked into the room a moment later, with somebody trailing along behind him, Cole gasped as she made the connection. There, standing in the doorway, was someone she thought she’d never see again. Even after all those years, it only took Cole a half a second to recognize her too. Simply an older version of her teenaged self, Shae looked just as beautiful as she had the last time Cole had seen her; in fact, maybe, more so, as she wasn’t crying this time.

The look on Shae’s face was a little sheepish as she waved at Cole from across the room, but instead of responding, Cole looked over at Waverly again, hoping for some sort of explanation. All she got was a soft smile and a pat on the arm before Waverly turned towards their guest and said, “Why don’t we give you two a minute to catch up, huh? Come on, Wy… you can show me those baby clothes you were talking about earlier.” Wynonna started to say something, but Waverly was already dragging her out of the room before she got very far. When Cole looked towards Shae again, she realized Doc had slipped back into the living room too, so in a matter of moments, Cole was alone with the first woman she’d ever loved.

Their eyes met then, and so many memories flashed through Cole’s mind. She could remember seeing Shae from across the street for the first time, all dolled up for church on a spring Sunday morning. She thought of the first time they’d held hands, their first kiss, their first, and last, time being intimate together. Along with those pleasant memories were the bad ones too though; the bright light of the torches breaking in thorough the hay loft’s window, the angry shouts of Shae’s father, a whole posse’s worth of people showing up in the middle of the night to run Cole out of town. Honestly, it had been a long time since she’d even thought about that night, but with Shae standing there in front of her, it felt like only days had passed, instead of years.

For several moments they just stared at each other, but it seemed Shae was remembering their time together as well, as she finally said, “I— I wanted to go after you that night, but I was… I was scared.” Those words were like a shot in the chest, drudging up all Cole’s old injuries, but Shae just continued on, “I’m still scared actually. Being with you… it made me realize something that I’d always denied before, and now I don’t know how to live without someone like you. God knows, I’ve tried living the life my father wanted for me, but I just… I just can’t. I’ve never met a man that even compares to you.”

That almost made Cole laugh, but only because that was how she felt about Waverly. No other woman could hold her heart the way Waverly did. She had to make sure Shae knew that too, so she quickly said, “Shae, we— I’m with Waverly now… I love _her_.”

Shae didn’t flinch, didn’t even hesitate for a moment before she replied, “No— no, I know that. Your wife made that very clear… I just needed to see you. I needed to know that it was possible to find happiness, being how we are and all.” With that, Shae seemed to relax a little bit, moving further into the room as she continued, “I saw your name in the paper… That’s how I knew where you were, and with my Pa passed on, I figured it wouldn’t do any harm to look you up.” Shae paused there and Cole thought she might be done, but then she added softly, “that Sheriff’s badge looks good on you, by the way…”

Smiling at the compliment, Cole couldn’t help but offer one of her own, saying, “The last few years have been good to you too.” Shae’s shy little smile blossomed at that, and Cole finally gestured for her to sit down, adding, “You wanna tell me about them?”

Taking the seat opposite from her, Shae launched into a fairly long-winded description of what had happened to her since they’d been driven apart. Her father had forced her into an arranged marriage, not even a week after Cole had left. She’d stayed with him for two long years, until her father died of consumption. Shae hadn’t wasted anymore time after that, leaving the man without a word, simply filing for a divorce on her way out of town and not looking back.

Another three years had passed since then though, and unfortunately, Shae was still married to him. He’d contested her claims of abuse, and she hadn’t been around to fight with him over it. When Shae explained that he’d forced himself on her more than once, Cole felt her blood run cold, thinking that he was one man she might actually enjoy killing. At least, with Shae whole and right in front of her, Cole didn’t think about that for too long. Shae seemed like she’d accepted that part of her life, and was doing her best to move past it, so Cole decided to try and do the same.

After a few more minutes of ‘catching up,’ Waverly and Wynonna finally came back downstairs, bickering like… well, like sisters, fighting over which clothes Waverly was going to borrow for Nicholas. Wynonna was insisting that Waverly take a couple of Alice’s old dresses, just in case Nicholas grew up to be like Cole. That kind of talk from anyone else probably would have sent Cole flying off the handle, but she knew Wynonna’s flippant comments were just her way of showing her acceptance. If Wynonna was really upset about her being a woman, Cole expected there be a lot less teasing, and a lot more open hatred. Wynonna certainly wasn’t shy about it when she was actually mad about something.

Of course, Shae didn’t know any of that, and when Cole saw her stiffen and start to get up, she quickly reached out and placed her hand on top of Shae’s, attempting to stop her from saying something she might regret. Her hand was still resting over Shae’s when Waverly and Wynonna came into the room, and the brief flash of shock that crossed Waverly’s face made Cole feel like she’d been slapped. Without even thinking, she got right up, taking her hand away with her as she quickly crossed to Waverly, hoping to quiet that storm she could see brewing in Waverly’s eyes.

Her swift show of loyalty seemed to do the trick, and Waverly smiled as Cole wrapped an arm around her waist. Still, there was something stiff about Waverly’s body language; something that told Cole that she’d be answering some awkward questions before they went to bed. Not that that worried Cole, because the truth was, Waverly was _it_ for Cole, and if their history was anything to go by, she wouldn’t have much trouble convincing Waverly that she was just where she wanted to be. Besides, if she really wanted to be with Shae, she would have found a way years ago.

Leave it to Wynonna to blow the lid off that conversation right then and there though, as she barked out, “What, Cole? You think you can two-time my sister?”

For a second, Cole couldn’t respond; she was simply too shocked by the accusation. When that shock started to fade though, rage quickly took its place. Wynonna saying that she looked dumb was one thing, and making jokes about her dressing habits was another, but Wynonna accusing her of cheating on Waverly was too much. Before she could stop herself, she spit, “You know what, Wynonna… Fuck you!” and then stormed out the back door.

With blood rushing in her ears, it wasn’t until she was half-way back across the yard that Cole realized that somebody was chasing after her. Acting on instinct, she whirled around, bringing her fists up to cover her face, just in case Wynonna came in swinging. When she found Waverly standing there instead, Cole’s anger instantly deflated; in fact, Cole nearly crumbled to the ground with it. The look of genuine unease in Waverly’s eyes was the only thing that kept her standing. She had to explain herself; she had wipe that look off Waverly’s face. She didn’t really take the time to organize her thoughts though, so they all came out on top of each other, when she said, “Waves… I’m— sorry. I’m not… I mean, Shae doesn’t even—”

That was as far as she got before Waverly was crashing into her, their teeth clacking together as Waverly kissed her. As these things go, it was a pretty effective way to silence Cole’s sputtered explanation. Still, with tension lingering in her muscles, it took Cole a second to relax into it. Honestly, it wasn’t until she felt one of Waverly’s hands move up to massage the back of her neck, that Cole really allowed herself to sink into the warmth Waverly was offering. And, Oh, what a warmth it was too, as Waverly’s mouth opened against her own, inviting Cole’s tongue inside. Before she knew what was happening, their kiss had deepened into something hardly appropriate; unless they were behind closed doors.

By the time they parted, Cole was panting for breath, but even still, she chased after Waverly’s lips as she pulled away, wishing that kind of kiss never had to end. Of course, that brought a little chuckle out of Waverly, and Cole smiled as she felt it vibrate against her chest. Feeling Waverly’s lips against her own just felt too good though, and Cole dipped forward again for one more brush before she let Waverly pull away again. They were still in each other’s space, standing close, when Waverly finally said, “It’s alright, Cole… We’re okay. I— I had a long talk with Shae this afternoon. She’s not here trying to get you back, and I know you’re not trying to get back with her either… Am I a little surprised to walk in on you two holding hands? Yes, but I know where your heart belongs.”

As Waverly spoke, Cole felt her own voice returning and quickly said, “We weren’t… I wasn’t… I was just trying to stop her from saying something that would piss Wynonna off.” Realizing how that had turned out, she chuckled herself as she added, “Ha! That went real well… obviously.”

Waverly laughed again, and Cole felt her smile widen as Waverly replied, “Oh, you don’t have to worry about Wynonna. If she says another single word tonight, I’ll be surprised.” Cole wanted to ask what Waverly meant by that, but she didn’t get the chance. Juts then, she heard Doc calling out to them from the back porch, saying that supper was ready. It seemed that neither one of them was quite ready to let go though, so Cole and Waverly walked back to across the yard hand in hand, trading squeezes back and forth until they got back inside.

As they all settled in at the table, Wynonna really was quiet, and the looks she gave Cole were properly mournful too. Maybe, she felt bad about what she’d said, or maybe, whatever Waverly had said to her really affected her; either way, they managed to salvage the evening and actually have a nice meal together. Shae filled some of the silence, talking about her journey west from Kansas, and her eventual destination of San Francisco. Doc had a few interesting things to say about California too, telling them about the one time he’d been that far west. He had mostly good things to say, but he also said he’d spent most of his time there staring down into the bottom of an empty whiskey bottle. He didn’t explain much about why, but Cole thought that was probably shortly after Doc and Wyatt had had their big falling out. Of course, Doc and Wyatt had made up since then, but from what Cole understood, those two years were some of the darkest in Doc’s past.

They were in the past however, and that was where they stayed, as everyone at the table turned their attention towards the pie Waverly had made for dessert. It wasn’t anything extravagant, just a simple apple pie with cinnamon and sugar, but to Cole, it was some of the best pie she’d ever eaten. Wynonna even spoke up about it too, finally saying quietly, “this is really good, baby girl.” Waverly smiled and thanked her sister for the compliment, but it was pretty obvious that Waverly didn’t have much else to say to her sister at that point. Cole felt a little guilty about being part of the wedge that was between them, but she also knew that after a few days, the whole ugly mess would fade into the past as well.

After they were finished eating, Doc offered to let Shae use one of their extra bedrooms for the night, saying that it didn’t make much sense to head back into town when they had a perfectly good bed upstairs. Shae seemed grateful, if a bit nervous, and Cole could imagine why. Wynonna seemed thoroughly chastised in Waverly’s presence, but what would she be like after Cole and Waverly left to go to their house. All it took was one more look from Waverly though, before Wynonna excused herself from the table, saying, “I need to put Alice down for the night… otherwise, she’ll be a terror tomorrow.” Doc stood then too, accidently tipping his missing hat to them before he followed Wynonna out of the room.

Once it was just the three of them; well four, if Nicholas counted, Waverly seemed to soften a little bit, leaning into Cole’s side as she said, “You can use my old bedroom for the night if you want, Shae. It’s upstairs, second door on the right.” Shae seemed hesitant again, like she wasn’t sure what to do, but it seemed Waverly knew what to say without being prompted, as she added, “We don’t have indoor plumbing, but there’s an outhouse between here and the barn.” Shae’s awkward smile turned grateful as she excused herself from the room, two-stepping for the back door like she was worried she wouldn’t make it that far.

Finally alone again, Cole tried to pull Waverly over into her lap, hoping that they could cuddle for a few minutes before heading home. Waverly evaded her arms though, only dropping a single kiss to Cole’s lips before she said, “Wait for me at home?” Cole knew better than to deny a request like that, nodding easily as she made her own way out the back door.

Out in the yard, Cole didn’t see hide nor hair of Shae, so she figured Shae found the outhouse alright by herself in the dark. It didn’t take much for Cole to find her way to her house either; the walk over from the main house was short and familiar. Once inside, Cole went about lighting the lamps in the living area and their bedroom, not sure what Waverly had planned for the rest of their evening. Cole wasn’t all that tired really, even after her long day, and she thought maybe they could take turns reading or just cuddle to pass the time before they went to bed.

Apparently, Waverly had something planned though, as there was a small package laying in the middle of their bed. Somehow, Cole had missed it earlier when she’d been looking for Waverly, but there it was; wrapped in brown paper with a big ribbon bow on top. It was pretty obvious the package wasn’t just a package; it was a present. Of course, for what, Cole wasn’t sure. It wasn’t her birthday, and their anniversary wasn’t for another few months either. She thought maybe she’d missed Waverly’s birthday, but that couldn’t be right; why would Waverly wrap her own gift and then leave it for Cole to find? Not really sure what was going on, Cole simply sat on the edge of the bed and waited for Waverly to come home, knowing that she shouldn’t open the package without Waverly there, no matter how curious she was.

Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait too long, but when Waverly came into the bedroom without Nicholas, Cole became even more confused. Of course, she didn’t stay that way for long either, as Waverly sauntered over to the bed and said, “I’ve been planning this for a while, but with Nico I was worried it would be a while before I could give this to you… but then I figured it wouldn’t be hard to talk Wynonna into watching him for the night. In fact, after the way she ran her mouth earlier, she was happy to do it…” Cole was too captivated by the sway of Waverly’s hips to notice much else, but when she felt the weight of the present land in her lap, her focus shifted, dramatically. Even without removing the paper, Cole had a pretty good idea what she would find underneath, and Waverly only confirmed her suspicions more as she added, “I mean, yours is nice, but I thought we both might appreciate an… _upgrade_.”

Waverly’s sultry tone started a fire under Cole’s skin, and suddenly, she couldn’t get the present unwrapped fast enough. Tearing the brown paper away, Cole found more _brown_ underneath. It was a lighter color than the paper, by at least a few shades; almost as light as Cole’s own skin. It was a lot larger than Cole was expecting too; a teardrop-shaped bulb at one end, a sharp curve in the middle, and then a long, slow taper towards the other end. Even with the taper though, that end was still wide enough where Cole wasn’t sure she could wrap her fingers all the way around it. She tried to wrap her brain around why it was shaped like that; the implications making her stammer as she finally coughed out, “Oh— Okay, but what?”

Instead of an answer, all Cole got was a quiet, “do you trust me?” in response. Without a single doubt in her head, Cole nodded; she trusted Waverly more than she’d trusted anyone else, ever. So, she went willingly when Waverly began guiding her over onto her back. Cole went with every little motion after that too; lifting her shoulders one at a time so Waverly could strip off her shirt, scooting closer to edge of the bed so Waverly could pull off her pants with less fuss.

As she worked, Waverly undressed herself too, and Cole easily got caught up in the sight of all that exposed skin swishing and swaying before her eyes. In fact, Waverly’s ‘gift’ was almost completely forgotten by the time they were both naked, but when Waverly urged her further up into the bed, Cole’s elbow landed right on it. She squeaked when it flexed beneath her weight; it seemed to be somewhere in between hard and soft, almost like a rubber hose filled with some kind of liquid. For just a second, Cole was worried it would burst, but Waverly’s next words put those thoughts right out of her head, when she said, “Don’t worry, baby. You won’t break it. It’s solid rubber… I, uh, may have _tested_ it out to make sure.”

Cole couldn’t even begin to think about how Waverly had acquired such a thing but found herself focusing on the insinuation of Waverly’s words instead. Waverly had _tested_ it, which meant Waverly had probably already been naked in their bed once that day, pleasuring herself if Cole took her meaning correctly. Just the thought made her groan, her imagination quickly filling in the gaps. A sudden flash hit her; Waverly, on her back, hand working the rubber in and out of herself, crying out softly as she pushed herself closer and closer to the edge. Cole couldn’t help wondering if Waverly had said her name as she came.

The fire under Cole’s skin rapidly took shape then, lancing through her body only to zero in at her core, making her body throb for contact. She groaned again, as Waverly reached under her arm and pulled the rubber free, but she cut the sound off when Waverly asked her again, “Do you _trust_ me?” Staring up at Waverly then, Cole finally figured out what she was asking. She finally figured out _why_ Waverly was asking her that.

In all the times they’d made love, Cole had never really enjoyed penetration. Even when Waverly was using her hands, Cole preferred to have Waverly’s attentions on the outside of her body rather than the inside. Sure, a few times, Waverly had wanted to touch the deeper parts of her, and Cole had happily let her; simply enjoying the way Waverly loved those parts of her, even if she wasn’t so pleased with them herself. With the shape in Waverly’s hands, Cole could only make one logical conclusion then; one end of that rubber was meant to go inside her. Naturally, she was a bit worried about how that would feel, but when she thought about pushing the other end inside Waverly at the same time, Cole’s doubts diminished, considerably. The idea that she would actually be able to feel some of what Waverly was feeling when they made love had Cole nodding before she could speak, but eventually, the words made their out anyway as she said, “Yes, Waves… I trust you… I— I want this with you.”

The smile that crept over Waverly’s face then was only three-parts honest, with a fair amount of mischief on top. It almost unnerved Cole to see it, but she couldn’t concentrate on that for very long, as she felt something warm and stiff brush against the inside of her calf. As if on instinct, Cole’s knees spread to make room for Waverly in between, and then, before she knew it, that warm stiffness was brushing against her inner thigh instead. Her head tipped back with a groan when the pointed tip finally made contact with her core, and her hands automatically bunched in the sheets beside her hips, as she tried to keep herself from bucking off the mattress.

Waverly actually giggled a little bit then, but Cole couldn’t focus on the sound, not with the slightly rounded end of the rubber dragging up towards her clit. She was already slick from the anticipation, but when Waverly pressed down against her, Cole felt herself gush. It was, admittedly, a bit strange, Waverly touching her like that, but as Waverly started to move in slow circles over her, Cole couldn’t imagine asking her to stop; it felt way too good to even think of it.

Eventually, one of Waverly’s hands came to rest over her stomach, and Cole’s eyes immediately snapped open at the contact. She looked down her body then too, and she moaned when she found Waverly staring up her hungrily from between her thighs. She could barely see the movement of Waverly’s hand in the bottom of her periphery, and she could feel the mirror images of that movement on her body too, but with Waverly looking at her with such passion, Cole simply couldn’t look away.

It seemed that Waverly was trying to prepare her for the next step though, as after only a second, Cole finally felt the bulb dip down towards her entrance. She gasped the first time Waverly pushed forward, feeling herself stretch to try to take it in. Again, it felt a little strange, but Waverly’s reassuring smile quickly smoothed over any awkwardness Cole was feeling. Instead, she gasped over and over again too, as that teasing continued; Waverly pushing forward for a moment, only to pull back again a few seconds later.

What Cole didn’t realize was that Waverly was pushing deeper and deeper with every thrust; that is, until the bulb finally sank all the way inside, and stayed there. Cole hissed at the burning sensation as she settled around the intrusion, but when Waverly took ahold of the other end and gave it a little tug, she cried out instead; the sharp angle forcing the base of the shaft to rub against her clit in just the right way. Waverly repeated the motion too, and Cole couldn’t help herself then; she had to look. She needed to actually see what Waverly was doing to her. That proved to be a mistake however, as the just sight of Waverly’s hand stroking up and down her length was almost enough to push Cole over the edge; kicking and screaming the whole way.

With her senses already in overdrive, Cole wasn’t sure she could handle the maneuvering it would take to actually get the other end inside Waverly, but before she could even blink, Waverly was crawling up over her thighs to straddle her hips. Despite the fact that they were both already out of breath, Waverly dipped down to kiss her then too, and Cole quickly found herself lost in the sloppy slide of Waverly’s tongue against her own. Waverly kissing her like that certainly was distracting, but Cole still felt it when Waverly finally pressed their bodies fully together.

Her shaft became trapped between their bodies, and while, the sensations were still new, Cole found the contact undeniably arousing too. It wasn’t just about the added pressure in between her thighs either; just having Waverly that close was enough to make her want more. She got more too, as Waverly’s hips began to slowly move back and forth over her lap, dragging their skin together. Of course, with her current addition, Cole felt the slide deeper than ever before, and she found herself moaning out Waverly’s name as Waverly’s movements started to speed up.

It was a little too much a little too soon though, and Cole quickly found herself getting overwhelmed again. She frantically reached out Waverly’s hip then, hoping to slow things down before she got ahead of herself and came before she was ready; it was always better when they released together anyway. Of course, Waverly tried to roll her hips again, despite Cole’s grip, but Cole fought down against the spike of pleasure to grunt out, “be— be easy, baby… I’m— I’m close already.” Waverly let out an impatient whine, but it was a fleeting sound, as soon, she was kissing Cole again, slow and deep and so full of passion.

The longer they kissed the more in control Cole felt, until eventually, she started to get impatient too. She nudged a hand down in between them then, taking ahold of herself so Waverly could get lined up. She nearly choked when she felt how wet her shaft was though, just from Waverly sliding over it. Still, Cole knew the tip was slightly larger than what Waverly was used to, so she tried to encourage Waverly to take her time as she started to sink down, hissing out, “Sssslow… baby, slow…”

Of course, it seemed that Waverly wasn’t interested in slow, as she took Cole in one long slide. Cole found herself choking as Waverly bottomed out on her lap; their hips pressing completely together, slick skin to slick skin. She quickly realized that it was the closest they had ever been to each other; at least, with a part of her buried that deep inside Waverly. They were so close that Cole could actually feel it as Waverly squeezed down around the other end of her shaft. She could feel every shiver and clench, and it was enough to make Cole feel some shivers and clenches of her own.

The moment felt so charged that Cole just stared up into Waverly’s eyes for a second, reveling in how deeply connected they were, but then Waverly started to move, and Cole thought she never wanted her to stop. Her movements were almost jerky at first, like she was trying to find just the right stroke, but every slow drag up, pulled at Cole’s insides, nonetheless. Each sharp drop made her belly sink just as quickly. Even with the rocky start, it wasn’t long before Waverly was riding Cole in earnest; her head thrown back, her spine arched forward, her breathing hoarse and rough. Cole wasn’t fairing much better either, as her hands dug deep furrows into the skin around Waverly’s hips.

Thankfully, Waverly didn’t seem to care; if anything, Cole’s harsh grip was encouraging her to move faster and plunge deeper. The skin under her palms was getting slicker by the second too, but Cole just squeezed harder, desperate to keep her grip on reality for even one more second. She lost it eventually anyway, but when it finally happened, Cole decided she couldn’t have been happier about the timing. She already felt that deep, throbbing pulse in her belly, but when Waverly’s hips slammed down against her own, Cole cried out. She felt Waverly go totally stiff above her on that final stroke; the skin under her hands tensing tight like a drawn bow string. Then, the shudders started, and Cole followed Waverly into an all-encompassing, frankly overwhelming, orgasm; the way Waverly’s insides pulled at the other end of the shaft was simply too much for her to bear.

Somehow Cole found the wherewithal to keep their orgasm going, using her grip on Waverly’s hips to get Waverly rocking back and forth again. The movement wasn’t nearly as vigorous as before, but the friction sent Cole barreling along, nonetheless. In that moment, it was easy for Cole to imagine filling Waverly with her warmth, because, essentially, she was; it didn’t matter that Cole couldn’t actually climax inside Waverly, Waverly was pulling every last drop out of her anyway. In fact, she was sure there was already a puddle forming in the sheets below them, but Cole also couldn’t bring herself to care, not with Waverly’s insides were still clenching and pulling at her shaft. If they ended up ruining the mattress, Cole figured it was worth it.

Eventually, Waverly slumped against Cole’s chest, and their collective shudders trailed off, but after only a minute or two of rest, Waverly was squirming against her again, whimpering almost like she was in pain. Cole started to ask her if she was alright, but before she could get the words out, Waverly husked, “Could you… I— I _need_ you again…”

In Waverly’s desperation, Cole found what was probably her third wind, and she quickly flipped them so that Waverly was on her back below her. The happy smile that filled Waverly’s face was all the encouragement Cole needed to line herself back up with Waverly’s entrance and push inside once again. Her shaft was still plenty slick enough to slide inside with no resistance, but once Cole was sheathed inside Waverly, she almost wasn’t sure what to do. Without the leather harness strapped around her hips for support, Cole’s first few thrusts were jerky and stunted at best, so she made some room between their bodies. She hoped she could get some sort of rhythm going if she could see what she was doing, but that almost proved to be her undoing.

The first things she saw were Waverly’s swollen outer lips, puffed out around the shaft connecting them. The sight made her hips jerk forward, and Cole groaned as she watched an inch slip back inside Waverly. Waverly groaned too, but Cole couldn’t look away. She pulled back until the only the head of the shaft was still inside Waverly before slowly pushing back inside again. She tried to tell herself that she was just testing her range of motion, but the sight of Waverly taking her in was entrancing. She ‘tested her range’ a few more times, enjoying the sights and sounds, but eventually Waverly hissed, “Yesss… Baby… faster, baby, pleassse…” Cole didn’t even think about denying that request, picking up the pace until she was steadily pumping herself in and out. The increase in pace actually made her rhythm easier to maintain, but after only three or four thrusts, Waverly was murmuring more instructions, “that— that’s right baby… harder… yesss… h-harder…”

Trying to comply, Cole picked up a more choppy, staccato sort of rhythm; fast out, slightly faster in, but that still didn’t seem to be enough. Waverly writhed under her, letting out a frustrated whine, but the sound seemed to inspire Cole. Figuring she needed more leverage, she brought her hand up to cup the base of Waverly’s neck and then, began pulling Waverly towards her on every thrust. That had Waverly for scrambling for purchase on her too, and Cole hissed as Waverly’s nails sank in the muscles of her forearm. The pain felt good though; the burn settled after only a moment and just ended up making Cole feel hot all over instead. It was only another few thrusts after that before Waverly cried out one last plea, “God, yesss baby… Please come… pleassse… I— I want you to fill me sooo bad…”

Those words pulled all the air right out of Cole’s lungs, and on her next thrust, she sank all the way to the hilt inside of Waverly; so deep that their clits eventually smashed together too. The sudden sensation of heat and pressure was enough to tip Cole over the edge, but with the change in angle, her side of the shaft hooked forward, and Cole was instantly _gone_. Vaguely, she felt a hot rush of fluid run down her thighs, and while she knew there was definitely going to be a puddle in the bed, Cole really could not care; she could barely breath. Her senses were so overwhelmed that she couldn’t even tell if Waverly had followed her over edge. All she could focus on was the burning shiver emitting from her core. It shot through her, reaching every inch of her body in a matter of seconds, making Cole shudder and clench as it went.

When the pulsing waves began, Cole collapsed on top of Waverly, unbale to hold herself up against the onslaught of sensation. It was only then that Cole realized Waverly was indeed enjoying an orgasm herself, as she felt Waverly’s stomach muscles roll against her own; Waverly’s harsh panting in her ear was a pretty good indicator too. There might have been words in Waverly’s breath, but Cole was just too wrung out to make sense of them.

It seemed like forever before Cole found the strength to push herself up onto her elbows again, but she smiled when she found Waverly searching for her lips instead of trying to speak. Cole kissed her then, gratefully; lovingly, passionately, comfortingly. Waverly smiled into it too, and when Cole eventually pulled back for air, Waverly was smiling that dopey, sleepy grin that Cole loved so much.

Suddenly feeling just as tired, Cole began the slow process of extracting herself from Waverly’s body, but Waverly stopped her before she could pull out, gripping Cole’s shoulders tighter as she quietly said, “wait, stay… just for another minute…”

Shaking her head, Cole dipped down for another smiling kiss, before she said, “I’ll stay as long as you need, Waves… I’d do anything for you.” She pressed their bodies together again then, sinking her hands under Waverly’s body to hold her close. Waverly’s arms wrapped around her too, and Cole sighed as Waverly’s love seemed to sink right in through her skin.

They laid there for a few more minutes, just enjoying the closeness, before Waverly finally said, “ah—alright, you can… you can pull out now.” Waverly seemed hesitant, like she still wasn’t ready, but Cole took her at her word, and began to pull away. She grimaced a little when Waverly groaned at the loss of contact, but Cole didn’t leave her for long; or at least, she tried not to. The thing was Cole wasn’t sure she was ready to take the shaft out yet either. It felt so natural to look down her body and see a glistening shaft jutting out from her hips, without any extra material in the way. Still, she knew she couldn’t leave it in forever, and with a groan of her own, she finally pulled the rubber free from her body too.

It was a messy process that was for sure, as more wetness soon dribbled down Cole’s thigh, but after a quick trip to the pump sink, Cole was fairly clean again. She figured they’d probably both need a bath to get truly clean, but Cole grabbed a wet rag so she could wipe down Waverly before they fell asleep. To her surprise, Waverly had already stripped the wet sheets off the bed and replaced them with new ones by the time she got back to the bedroom. Naturally, Waverly had wiped herself up a little bit in the process, but still, Cole insisted on properly wiping her down; although, that was mostly because she wanted to see Waverly and make sure she hadn’t torn Waverly open with her rough thrusts.

Of course, Waverly complied with a smile, wiggling her hips a little bit when Cole settled in between her thighs. From just one look, Cole could tell Waverly needed her again, as Waverly inner lips were still fluted open, exposing the tip of her hardened clit. Waverly’s sex looked well-used though, flushed and swollen, so Cole knew she’d have to be delicate if she wanted to bring Waverly over the edge one more time. She set her mouth to work then, cleaning Waverly up the old-fashioned way, licking and sucking all over her sex before finally settling in to suckle over her clit instead. Waverly’s hips jerked at the first contact, but she hissed out a quiet, “yes,” too. Cole kept up the light suction as she flicked over Waverly with her tongue, and she smiled against Waverly’s sex when she felt Waverly’s hands fall into her hair.

The light scratching of Waverly’s fingernails lulled Cole into a slower rhythm, but still, it wasn’t long before Waverly’s thighs tightened around the sides of Cole’s head. Cole simply caressed Waverly with her tongue as she released, coaxing Waverly down as gently as she could. Only when Waverly’s body settled again did Cole dip down for a taste of her reward, and she groaned when Waverly’s thick flavor instantly filled her mouth. She spent several more minutes down there, cleaning Waverly up all over again, before moving her way back up Waverly’s body. She laid kisses everywhere she could; over Waverly’s trembling abs, up past her tender nipples to her sweaty collarbone, until she could finally claim Waverly’s lips once again. Waverly sighed into her mouth too; or rather, simply breathed into her mouth, as Cole finally noticed that Waverly was actually asleep. Chuckling lightly, Cole kissed her one more time before settling in beside her. Before she knew it, she was falling asleep too.

They were a tangled mess of limbs and linens when Cole woke up the next morning, but she wasn’t about to complain. She felt light, like nothing to could touch her. She almost felt like a whole new person; a whole new _man_. Being that close, that connected, to Waverly when she reached her peak, had filled a hole in Cole’s soul; one that she hadn’t even known she’d had, that is, at least until it wasn’t there anymore. Making love with Waverly was always special, but what had happened the night before, was truly extraordinary. The fact that they could now do that any time they wanted wasn’t lost on Cole either. As long as Waverly had enjoyed it as much as she had, anyway.

There seemed to be one drawback, however, and Cole groaned when she actually tried to move. Everywhere was sore, including places where she’d never been sore before. It made sense; she’d exerted herself almost to the point of exhaustion before she’d even gotten home the night before. Add in a marathon of orgasms and Cole felt like she’d never be able to get up again. Her insides were sore too, like she’d been in the saddle for twelve hours on the first day of her monthly. It didn’t take long for that ache to become a pleasant one though; all she had to do was think about how she came to be that way, and her soreness seemed to drift away.

Still, Cole groaned again as she finally pushed herself up into a sitting position. Waverly grumbled beside her, but with Cole’s bladder feeling even more full than it usually did, she made her apologies quickly before making her way out of the bed. She dressed only as far as to cover her important bits, before stumbling out towards the outhouse. Thankfully, no one was in there, and Cole sighed as the pressure inside her finally released. Of course, when she opened the door again, there was Shae, standing only a few feet away with a knowing smile on her face.

Blushing, Cole scrambled to cover herself, quickly folding her arms over her chest. Everything was _covered_ , but her shirt was certainly thin enough that it didn’t leave much to the imagination. Cole figured her hair was probably a wild mess too, sticking up at all angles or half-slicked down from old sweat, but there was nothing she could do about that; not if she wanted to keep her dignity intact. It was mortifying. It was one thing for Wynonna or Doc to catch her looking like that; they’d seen it all before, but having her old lover giving her that ‘I know what you’ve been doing’ look, it was just too much. At least, Shae didn’t make things worse, as she simply ducked into the vacant outhouse without a word. On her walk back to her house, all Cole could think was, ‘We really need a second outhouse around here…’

If only her awkward morning was over though. When she walked in and found Waverly and Wynonna standing next to the pump sink, Cole couldn’t help but blush all over again. The evidence of their night together was still laying in the basin next to the sink, waiting to be cleaned. Wynonna was staring right at it too, obviously fighting to keep herself together, while Waverly sputtered and coughed as she said, “I— I didn’t mean for you to… you know, see _it_. I’ll just, uh—” Wynonna lost it then, and Cole nearly laughed herself, when Waverly moved to sweep the rubber up into a piece of a cloth, only to nearly lose her grip on it as she spun towards their bedroom.

As Waverly moved though, their eyes met, and for a second, Cole didn’t care that Shae had caught her in her underclothes; she didn’t care about Wynonna’s now-raucous laughter either. All that mattered was that sweet, sheepish smile on Waverly’s face. Cole could get lost in that smile anytime, anywhere. Of course, Wynonna’s amusement cut through that serenity pretty quickly, and Cole grit her teeth as Wynonna barked out, “When you said you needed to use Doc’s casting equipment… I definitely wasn’t expecting you to make something like _that_!” Wynonna’s words weren’t particularly poignant, but there was something in her tone that Cole just didn’t like. She was just about to put Wynonna in her place about it too, but before she could get any words to come out, Wynonna turned on her and said, “Well, Cole, now that I’ve seen what you’re working with… I’m not surprised you two keep waking us up in the middle of the night.”

The almost compliment stopped Cole short, and she continued to hold her breath as Waverly sharply replied, “Yes, Wynonna. I’m quite _satisfied_ …” There was only the briefest of pauses then, before Waverly continued, “Now, thank you for watching Nico, but you’d better be going if we’re gonna leave for town anytime soon.”

Thankfully, Wynonna took that as the dismissal that it was, and bowed out through the front door a few seconds later. Still, Wynonna wasn’t the kind of person to just leave without having the last word, and that was never truer as Cole heard she say, “You might wanna leave your sleeves rolled down today, Cole… you look like you got mauled by a cougar…” Looking down, Cole finally noticed the deep gauges in the skin of her forearm. If she had three guesses as to where those fingernail marks came from, she’d only need one. She couldn’t, and wouldn’t, regret how they got there though; even if the balmy morning promised that it’d be a warm day.

Making her way over to Waverly then, Cole smiled when she spotted Nicholas pressed into Waverly’s opposite hip. He was smiling too; gurgling and spitting up, but he was smiling, and that made Cole smile as well. Having some quality time with Waverly had been nice, beyond _nice_ if Cole was being honest, but seeing Nicholas perched on Waverly’s hip was nice too. Just the sight of the two of them together left Cole with a bubbly feeling in her chest; one that not even the dread of her long day could deflate. Still, Cole knew she couldn’t put off the coming day either. So, she made her way into the bedroom to get dressed for the day; after a leaving a kiss on Waverly’s cheek, of course.

Their new morning routine went on too; Waverly tending to Nicholas, while Cole tended to them. She made them a simple breakfast, just some eggs and toast and coffee, as Waverly cleaned and changed Nicholas and then got him situated in an old basinet of Alice’s. Cole beamed as Waverly cooed over the boy for a few minutes, thinking that maybe their new outhouse would have to wait. If Nicholas was staying, they’d probably be needing another room added on before they made any other improvements.

When breakfast was done and eaten, Cole cleaned up the dishes, among other things, while Waverly ducked into the bedroom to get dressed herself. Maybe fifteen minutes later, they made their way out of the house, Waverly piling into the wagon with Nicholas, and Wynonna and Alice, as Cole and Doc, and Shae, rode alongside. Cole was a little surprised to see Shae riding, instead of in the wagon with Waverly and Wynonna, but she figured Shae had to have some way to get around if she was going as far west as San Francisco. That seemed to still be her plan too, as she explained that she’d be staying in town only a few more days, before she left for Denver to catch the train from there. She insisted on actually staying in town for the rest of her visit though, saying that she didn’t want to impose. Of course, Cole started to say the polite thing, something along the lines of, ‘Oh, it’s no trouble,’ but Wynonna busted in instead, saying, “Good, ‘cause if last night shenanigans didn’t wake you up… tonight’s sure will.”

There was a little good-natured laughter at that, but thankfully, the rest of their ride was mostly quiet. They made it into the outskirts of town easily enough, but as they approached Purgatory proper, Cole couldn’t help feeling like something was off. She didn’t see anyone on the street, but she would swear there were eyes on her from somewhere. The sensation made her skin tingle, and it wasn’t long before the little hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end too. She glanced over to the other side of the wagon, about to ask if Doc felt it too, but when all she found was his empty saddle, she felt panic start to rise in her chest. A moment later, she spotted him a few feet away, strafing off to the right on foot, obviously already ducking for cover. Waverly and Wynonna were trailing along behind him too, with Alice and Nicholas in tow.

Of course, that left Cole and Shae exposed on the street when the first shot rang out. Cole didn’t even get a chance to process the concussion of the gunpowder before a bullet went whizzing past her ear. Feeling that hot wind though, all Cole could do was react. She was off Jane and running before she could even think; her brain only catching up enough for her to shout at Shae over her shoulder, and even then, all she could get out was, “Cover!” A shriek rang out behind her, but it was followed by heavy footfalls, so Cole assumed Shae was heeding her warning. Cole couldn’t spare the time to actually look and make sure; she was too fixed on their salvation, the gap in between two buildings. Using her long legs to her advantage, Cole jumped over the boardwalk in one stride and then quickly ducked into alley.

Somehow, Cole registered the sound of breaking glass, just before a loud thump rang out against the wood right next to her head. She sighed, thanking her lucky stars that Shorty’s walls were thicker than the ones of her office, but that relief didn’t last long. Finally feeling safe, at least for the moment, Cole looked back for Shae then, but she immediately wished she hadn’t. She turned back to the street just in time to watch Shae fall face first onto the boardwalk, only a few steps from safety herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's a cliff-hanger, isn't it? Sorry about that... Also, kinda not sorry about that... :-/
> 
> Anyway, Chapter 5 is coming just a fast as I can manage it... but be warned, it's the longest chapter yet and I'm still working it...
> 
> In the mean time, feel free to yell at me in the comments. I love hearing from each of you...


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I know it's feels like it's been an age since I posted that cliffhanger chapter, and honestly, I wasn't sure I would get this chapter up today either, but here it is! Enjoy!!!

The next shot that rang out was much closer than the last, but Cole quickly realized that was because the sound had come from just across the street, instead of down the way. Doc was firing back, probably trying to give her the cover fire that she needed to get Shae out of the open. Without a second thought, Cole frantically scrambled back up on the boardwalk. She grabbed the first bit of Shae she could her hands on, gripping Shae’s wrist probably hard enough for it to break. Shae let out a sharp grunt of pain when Cole gave a jerk, but Cole welcomed the sound as she half-dragged Shae into the alley. Their combined momentum was such that Cole nearly toppled into the dirt, but she managed to catch herself before she went down, all while sweeping Shae into her arms as she went. The exchange left Cole feeling breathless, but there was no time for relief.

After a quick once over, Shae didn’t seem to be bleeding, just a red bump rising up on her forehead. So, at least, she hadn’t been shot, but Cole knew if they didn’t act quickly, they could both end up that way anyway. There was at least one rifle trained on them, and who knew how many others were out there waiting for them to come around a corner. Knowing Shae could find shelter inside Shorty’s, Cole tried to propel her further down the alley, with a hushed, “head for the back door… get inside…” Shae sputtered and started to protest, but Cole just pleaded with her, “Shae, please, I can’t protect you out here…” At that, Shae’s protests petered out, and a moment later, Cole watched as she started moving down along the side of the building.

Turning back to the street, Cole finally drew her gun, even though she knew she was no match for the rifle that had her pinned down; not with nothing but her six-shooter and a prayer anyway. She figured the closest available long-arm was Waverly’s rifle, but surely, that gun was still slung along one side of the wagon. Naturally, when Cole peeked around the end of the building, it was nowhere in sight, so that meant that the rifle was on the far side from Cole; which would require several more steps to get to it. That was a long time to be out in the open, especially when Cole wasn’t even sure where the shots were coming from. With only one way to figure that out, Cole edged out to the end of the building again and then leaned out to glance up the street. She caught the glint of a scope on top of one of the buildings across the street, but before she could really focus on where, another shot came barreling in her direction. She got back into cover just in time, the missed shot landing against the wood of the boardwalk only a split-second later.

With that wasted shot, Cole finally figured out her advantage. She realized there was no way the sniper had any kind of training as a marksman. Cole had been sitting almost still when they’d missed her the first time, and the other shots seemed to have been just as wild. If she could keep her feet under her, she could make a break for the cover of the wagon, and then edge her way around the back end to get to the rifle. If she was lucky enough, and unpredictable enough, she probably wouldn’t get shot in the process. She chanced another glance around the end of the building then, hoping for her chance, but when she saw several figures moving down the street towards her, she instantly squashed that plan. Avoiding a single, shoddy sniper was one thing, but several sets of pistols was another.

Managing to get back into the alley before the sniper could take his next shot, Cole squeaked when a hand suddenly clutched around her upper arm. Her already drawn pistol collided against soft tissue then, as she was turned back into the alley by a strong grip. Coming face to face with Xavier was a huge relief, but spotting Eliza coming along right behind him was even better. Once she was in ear shot, Cole whispered, “at least a dozen on the street… and there’s a sniper, three or four buildings down.”

Xavier sighed, clearly not liking those odds, but he quickly took charge of the situation anyway, turning back to Eliza to say, “see what you can do about the sniper, we’ll take the street…” Eliza grinned, like Xavier had just told her to take the rest of the day off, and then turned back down the alley; a little spring in her step as she went. Of course, Cole was thankful that Eliza was moving further away from the gunmen on the street, but she also knew that if she and Xavier failed to clear the street, it wouldn’t matter where Eliza was; she’d end up having to fight for her life either way.

Before Eliza could get totally out of sight, a commotion occurred on the street, as several pistols fired at once. Cole immediately turned back towards the gunfire; her eyes wild as they searched through the smoke and dust filling the street. She could just make out Doc and Wynonna hunched behind a couple of water barrels, firing their pistols over the open tops. Shots were being fired back too, as several hit home on the fronts of those barrels, and a few seconds later, the sound of rushing water slapping against the dirt joined the cacophony of shouts and shots.

Who Cole didn’t see however, was Waverly, and for just a second, she thought maybe Waverly had snuck Alice and Nicholas off to safety. Movement caught the corner of her eye though, and Cole immediately felt her gut tighten in fear. It seemed like an eon passed before Cole could focus, but when she did, it was just in time to watch Waverly fall, face-first into the dirt behind the wagon. It was like watching Shae fall all over again, only worse; Shae was Shae, but Waverly was _Waverly_. A million shattered thoughts filled Cole’s brain, but before the devastation of loss could truly set in, Cole realized Waverly wasn’t just lying there. She was moving; well, scrambling, more like, as she got over onto her butt and scampered up under the back edge of the wagon. Cole couldn’t help but to smile as she spotted the rifle clutched to Waverly’s chest; apparently, Waverly had had the same thought about getting to the rifle, but clearly, Waverly had also been crazy enough to go through with it too.

Within seconds, shots were raining down on the wagon, but after only a volley or two, the shots ceased again. Cole glanced out across the street then, and quickly found Doc and Wynonna had hunkered back down behind their barrels. For a moment, an eerie silence fell over the street; that is, until a blaringly loud crack shuddered through the air. It was far too loud to have come from the sniper, but it had come from that same direction. The grunt and crash that followed came from the sniper’s direction as well, so Cole leaned out just a bit more and watched as the sniper thumped onto the ground. She caught just the briefest glimpse of Eliza too, her carbine peeking out over the edge of the roof of Cryderman’s savings and loan.

That seemed to split the gunmen’s attentions as only a few of them still looking in Cole’s direction and that gave her an idea. She quickly turned back to Xavier and whispered, “think you can get behind ‘em?” Stoic as ever, Xavier didn’t even respond with words, only giving Cole a sharp nod before he headed back down the alley the way he’d come.

By the time Cole got turned back around, Waverly had repositioned herself so that she was laying on her belly again; only this time, she was completely underneath the wagon. She had her rifle pressed against her shoulder, braced against the ground by her elbows, but she wasn’t looking down the sights; no, her eyes were fixed solidly on Cole. The blatant fear in Waverly’s eyes nearly pulled Cole right out into the street, but she could see resolve there too, like Waverly knew they could fight their way out of this mess. Cole tried to believe that too, offering Waverly a soft smile and a firm nod, before turning her gaze up the street. If they were going to get out of this, they might as well get to it.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cole saw Waverly turn her eyes to her sights, and after only a breath’s length, rifle fire discharged from underneath the wagon. A groan followed that shot too, but Cole couldn’t afford to take the time to celebrate; instead she used the distraction to lean out and line up a shot of her own. She found a target easily enough too, seeing a round rear-end sticking out from behind the horse trough in front of the post office.

Exhaling to steady herself, Cole took her shot, but she gasped when the man fell out into the dirt afterwards. Obviously, she’d gotten him in the gut instead of the rump, but she didn’t have time to feel any sympathy for him; not when she had to duck back into cover before the return fire started. With how many shots hit the wall beside her ear then, Cole instantly knew she wouldn’t get another easy shot like that. She needed to move, so she started off down the alley, heading towards the back door of Shorty’s. If she could get a better vantage point and more cover, she was going to take it.

Once inside, she rushed through the kitchen and then out into the seating area. She briefly took cover behind the bar with Shae, smiling slightly when she saw Waverly’s sawed-off over-under clutched tightly to her chest. The sound of more breaking glass quickly drew her attention back to the front of the building though. Giving Shae a quick nod, Cole crept out around the end of the bar then, only to find Rosita crouched underneath one of the broken windows, a shiny six-shooter in her hand as well. As Cole moved towards the other broken window, Rosita peered around the edge of her window and took a shot. Without a resulting groan of pain, Cole couldn’t be sure if Rosita had hit anyone, but she figured any additional suppression fire was a good thing.

Speaking of, Cole sighed when she recognized the sounds of Doc and Wynonna taking shots from across the street again. She heard another one of Eliza’s shots break the sound barrier too. When Cole finally peeked out to access the situation, the first thing she saw was Waverly lining up another shot as well. She thought the wagon had seen better days, but at least, so far, it seemed that Waverly’s cover was holding. For how long, however, depended on how much longer the gunfight lasted, so Cole steeled her nerve and turned her attention back up the street once again.

The gunfire became nearly continuous then, as they all traded shots back and forth; Cole taking as many shots as she could manage. She hit her mark almost every time too, dropping their enemies left and right. In the moment, she tried not to think beyond her survival and the survival of her loved ones; if they lived, she could deal with the guilt of killing these men later.

Thankfully, after only another minute, the uproar of battle started to thin out, as the shots became fewer, and fewer, and fewer. Eventually, _finally,_ silence fell over the street once again, but Cole stayed right where she was until she heard Xavier’s booming voice calling out, “All Clear!”

Quickly making her way out onto the street, Cole nearly gagged when she saw just how much blood was scattered on the ground. All around her, men laid in the dirt; a few were still groaning in pain, but most of them weren’t making a sound. Cole made her way around to the ones that were still moving first, making sure to kick their guns away as she approached each one. She glanced up at one point and found Xavier working his way towards her from down the street, and then she noticed that Doc following suit across the street too. It only took them a few moments to effectively disarm the injured men and that was when Waverly and Shae and Rosita started making their rounds, assessing who might live, and who was already dead.

As much as she hated seeing Waverly tending to the men who had just tried to kill her, Cole knew treating the wounded was the right thing to do. It helped that Cole would probably have someone to question when they were done. She and Doc and Xavier took up the task of lining up the dead, but by the time they had moved the second body, quite a few people had joined them on the street. Pete and Kyle York were among the first to pop their heads out, with Gray coming around the corner of his store only a few moments later. Cole was particularly relieved when she saw Gus come strolling out from in between the Sheriff’s office and the next building over, Nicholas cradled her arms and Alice toddling along at her feet too. It seemed she’d been on her way to Shorty’s when the gunfire had started, and had been in just the right place to usher the children off to safety before things had gotten hairy.

With so many sets of hands, they made quick work of getting the street cleared, but Cole knew the row of bodies lined up in front of the post office would take a bit more time to deal with. She was thankful that she didn’t even have to say anything to Kyle and Pete, as they started off towards the livery to get some shovels without a word. They eventually decided to move the injured men into Doc’s clinic, figuring that in the state they were in, they weren’t liable to run. After a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to Eliza, Cole sent her off to fetch the Perley’s and Tadewi, thinking they’d need as much help as they could get keeping the last five outlaws alive.

All in all, only three of them survived the night, and by noon the next day, only one of those three still remained; the man that Cole had shot in the gut. It didn’t look like he was going to make it either, but with his death more eminent with every passing minute, Richard Moody became a veritable font of information. Cole already knew he worked for Clootie, but through his loose lips, she got so much more than that. If what Moody said was accurate, Clootie had a mile-wide paper trail connecting him in the arsons and murders. He said he couldn’t be sure where Clootie kept them, but he knew that they existed. He’d signed one himself only the day before; a contract for Cole’s death.

Having that kind of proof would be quite the coup, but Cole knew they actually had to get their hands on those documents to make any charges stick. There was a hardened part of her that actually hoped that Clootie put up a fight when they went to search his land, because surely, he would have hidden those contracts well. It was daunting just thinking about looking for them, but the idea that they wouldn’t find anything was even worse. Cole didn’t think she could handle Clootie slipping through her fingers.

The fact that Cole had been the target of the ambush made her feel just as cold, but she quickly realized that she must be doing something right, if Clootie had sent that many men to kill her. Apparently, it had been Moody’s idea to set the surprise attack in town, because he figured that was the only way they’d have the advantage, but oh how wrong he had been. That night, when he finally succumbed to his injuries, the total number of dead rose to fourteen. Tucker Gardner was among those who had died; he’d taken a sniper shot from Eliza. The men that Olive Tate had described were among the dead as well, along with a few others. Of course, by the time Moody died, they’d already been laid to rest, but Pete and Kyle insisted on putting Moody in the ground too. Cole followed them out to the cemetery, thinking that three sets of hands were better than two, but when she saw all the new grave markers, she knew she couldn’t stay. Her place was at the Clootie Homestead, putting an end to the death and destruction.

Thankfully, Xavier had already been working on getting a search warrant, and when it came down the wire the next day, they rode out of town, six-deep. Cole took the lead with Xavier, while Eliza and Doc rode behind them, and Pete and Kyle brought up the rear. Waverly had tried to tag along, and Wynonna too, but Cole just couldn’t have them out in the field like that. They were both good shots and could obviously handle themselves in a firefight, but with Alice and Nicholas in the picture, Cole wouldn’t leave them without at least one parent, especially if things went poorly. It had been bad enough that they’d gotten caught in the ambush meant for Cole anyway.

Fortunately, or rather, unfortunately, Clootie was almost too _polite_ when they showed up to serve the warrant, simply stating, “Please, help yourselves… I’ve got nothing to hide.” Cole nearly snarled right in his smug face, but it seemed he had a good reason to be that way. After more than three hours of searching, neither Cole, nor anyone else, had found anything of note; not even a single scrap of paper, anywhere.

Nearly ready to give up, Cole was drifting her way back through the master bedroom, when she finally found what she had been looking for all along. At first, it just felt like an imperfection in the wood, a small knot that stuck out from under the edge of Clootie’s dresser, but when Cole pressed it, it gave under the pressure. She heard a soft click, and then the top of the dresser popped up just a little bit. When she pulled up on it, Cole could only marvel at the treasure trove that small crack revealed. There, stacked in two neat stacks, were dozens and dozens of papers. In one pile, there were contracts; the one for Cole’s death right on top. She found one for the Crofte’s murders, and one for the attack on the Hardy’s farm, along with several others. Each one had names and dates; there was even one that dated back almost twenty years. The names on that one had been blacked out, but of all the contracts, it was the one that Clootie had paid the most for.

That was suspicious, but not wanting to waste time wondering, Cole choose to focus on the other stack of papers instead. They were oriented more towards Clootie’s business, and among them were several documents linking Clootie to David Cryderman. It seemed that Clootie had pressured Cryderman into setting up his savings and loan in Purgatory as a way to help him launder some of the illegal money he was making. She probably didn’t have enough to arrest Cryderman for his involvement, but she knew she’d be paying him a visit before the week was out anyway.

With an odd sense of pride, Cole finally gathered the papers and took them downstairs to show them to Xavier. She watched anxiously as he went through the two stacks, but after only a few moments of perusal, he simply said, “Well done, Haught. This is everything we need, and more.” Admittedly, the praise felt good, especially coming from Xavier, who Cole knew didn’t offer it freely, but she also knew that they still had to get through actually arresting Clootie, and hopefully, without more bloodshed.

Quickly gathering the papers again, Cole followed as Xavier lead them back outside, but when they found Clootie standing in the yard with Eliza and Doc, Cole nearly walked over and smacked that still-smug smile right off his face. He looked like he didn’t have a care in the world, but Cole knew just how wrong he was; with the amount of evidence they had against him, there was no way he wouldn’t be convicted when he went to Denver for a trial. She was glad she held herself back too, because truly, watching Xavier clasped him in irons was just as satisfying.

Of course, Clootie blustered and protested as Xavier shoved him up onto one of his own horses, but it was like Xavier didn’t even hear him. He just kept pushing until Clootie was finally slung over the saddle, loaded on more like a sack of potatoes than a person. It wasn’t long before Xavier’s stoic exterior started to crack though; Cole could see absolute hatred every time she caught his eye. With the way Clootie was ranting and raving, Cole almost wished that they’d gagged him before they’d set off towards Purgatory. The thought of just shooting him between the eyes and being done with it crossed Cole’s mind more than once on the way back to town as well.

Clootie’s mouth didn’t slow down when they hit town either; if anything, his voice seemed louder now that it had buildings to echo against. By that point, he was spitting curses and slurs, and Cole had been trying to tune him out, but then he started in on Eliza, calling her all manner of things that shouldn’t be uttered in public. She wasn’t one to abide a man talking to a woman that way, much less one that was under her employ, so Cole quietly nudged Jane in his direction. When she got close enough, she aimed her foot towards his shoulder and kicked. She wasn’t trying to do any damage, but she wanted to make him understand that he wasn’t going to talk to her deputy like that.

That didn’t work out so well though, because Clootie simply turned his attention towards Cole instead, spitting at her too as he said, “What? Are you some kind of invert? You and that _ape_?” Gasping at the hate in Clootie’s words, Cole couldn’t hold herself back then. Before she knew what she was doing, she was kicking out again; only this time she caught Clootie right in the side of the head. She watched in shock as he slumped down against his horse. He nearly fell off too, but Cole managed to catch him at the last second, grunting with the effort it took to slide his limp form back up over his saddle. She chanced a glance over at Xavier then, fearing the disappointed look on his face, but when all she saw was his usual impassive expression, she relaxed a little bit. He even went so far as to offer her a stiff nod before he turned his attention back to the street in front of them. Obviously, he didn’t fault her for defending them; in fact, with his already guarded personality, Cole thought his reaction was almost an approval.

Thankfully, after that, the rest of the ride through town was silent; except for the occasional snorted breath from Clootie. Rationally, Cole knew they’d need to take a look at his head when they got him inside, but there was a whole other part of her that felt satisfied, watching a bigot like Clootie drool all over himself. She found that more than a little upsetting, but she realized that as much as she wanted to see him answer for the things he’d done, he was still their prisoner. Besides, if she stooped to his level, and took her anger out on him again, what made her any better than him?

It took a fair amount of shuffling and a lot of grunting, but Cole and Xavier eventually managed to get Clootie settled into a cell. After a brief exam, Doc declared that he’d be fine; though he’d probably have a headache when he woke up. Of course, Doc wasn’t really a doctor, but Clootie’s breathing was already starting to level out, so Cole was inclined to believe him. Feeling like it was her responsibility, Cole offered to stay with Clootie, to keep watch and make sure he didn’t wake up and try to escape in the middle of the night, but Xavier shook his head as he said, “No, you should go home, Cole. You’re the one with a family waiting for you... you should treasure it.”

Like so many times before, there was more emotion in that statement than Xavier was letting on, and when Cole looked over at him, she could see a single tear trailing down his face. Not wanting to intrude, but also needing to make sure he was alright, she tentatively said, “Or, maybe I should stay a while… You look like you could use some family right about now anyway.”

Cole saw just the briefest flash of anger in Xavier’s eyes, before he frankly, replied, “I don’t have a family anymore… Bulshar Clootie took that from me a long time ago.” Suddenly, everything made so much more sense: Xavier’s distant personality, his devoted interest in stopping Clootie. He was one of Clootie’s victims; a survivor, but still, a victim too. That assumption was confirmed only a second later when Xavier continued, choking on his words a little bit as he said, “It— It was 1868. I’d just turned ten… It was barely dark when they came. I remember the torches… a dozen little fires moving over the land toward the house… My mother— she panicked, but my father was almost resigned as he pushed me out the back door. He told me to run, told me to run and not look back… I think I was half-way across the county before I realized nobody was chasing me.”

By the time Xavier finished, a few more tears had run down his face; Cole wasn’t unaffected either. The similarities between his story and her own past were strikingly distinct, and Cole immediately began to wonder if she would find her father’s name somewhere amongst Clootie’s contracts and papers. She quickly decided to push those thoughts aside however; it didn’t matter if Clootie had ordered her father’s death, he was probably going to swing for his crimes anyway. Instead, Cole focused on the moment at hand and finally said, “I spent a long time running too, but I _found_ a family here… If you give it a chance, maybe you will too.” Of course, Cole was speaking of Eliza, and the obvious interest that she and Xavier had shared, but Cole was also thinking of herself too. Xavier’s steely exterior was definitely growing on her, and Cole knew she would miss him when he left town. Maybe if he had something to come back to, he would do just that.

It seemed that Cole’s heartfelt words reignited some of that fire in Xavier’s eyes, except in a whole new way. Cole smiled with him when he finally said, “I’ll think about it, tonight… while you’re at home… with your wife and son.” The mention of Waverly and Nicholas made Cole smile even wider, but she still felt a little guilty leaving Xavier alone after his emotional confession. Still, it was clear that Xavier wasn’t going to change his mind about keeping watch over Clootie either. Honestly, Cole really couldn’t blame him. If she knew for a fact that Clootie had had her father killed, there’s no way she’d let him out of her sight.

Figuring Xavier probably wouldn’t even leave Clootie for long enough to get some supper, Cole popped into Shorty’s on her way out of town, hoping to ask Gus to take something over to him when she got a chance. As it turned out, Eliza was already there, and had ordered enough food for two, to take away. Clearly, Eliza had Xavier’s supper well in hand, so Cole simply offered her a, “Have a good night,” before excusing herself for the evening.

The ride out to the homestead seemed short in comparison to how long her day had been, but Cole still made it home before the sun had fully set. The light was just tickling the tops of the mountains in the distance, and the reflections made the whole world seem like it was swirled with pink and orange. It was one of the most beautiful sights Cole had ever seen, but when she found Waverly sitting on their front porch, waiting for her, Cole decided that salmon sky was at least the second most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. That might have had something to do with the smile that was spread wide across Waverly’s face; that one that Waverly seemed to reserve only for Cole.

Before Cole actually reached the porch, Waverly was already up and moving to meet her; her smile widening with every step she took. Cole dismounted when Waverly got close enough, turning from Jane to wrap Waverly in her arms. Waverly sagged into the embrace, immediately tucking her face in against Cole’s neck. Cole knew what that was about though; Waverly wanted reassurance, and honestly, Cole kind of needed to feel Waverly against her too. Her day seemed to drift away as she held Waverly in her arms, the memories growing more and more distant as time went on.

Still, they couldn’t just stand out there in the yard all night; no matter how nice it felt. Jane was whickering softly behind them, obviously getting impatient about her dinner, and Cole found herself wondering about Nicholas too. Waverly seemed to sense the shift, but when she started to withdraw, Cole just squeezed her tight for another second, as she whispered, “where’s Nico?”

Feeling Waverly’s breath huff against the side of her neck sent a shiver down Cole’s spine, and her whole body shuddered as Waverly quietly replied, “inside, napping with Alice, but we should be ok for a few more minutes.” Cole thought it was odd that Alice was with Nicholas, but she didn’t give it too much thought; not with Waverly cuddled back up against her chest. That moment only last for another moment though, before Jane snorted and stamped at the ground with one of her hooves. Waverly laughed at the sound, mumbling about how ‘spoiled’ Jane was as she pulled away. Cole didn’t let Waverly get too far though, taking her hand so they could lead Jane to the barn together. It wasn’t until they were inside before Waverly finally asked, “Well, how’d it go at Clootie’s?”

Not surprised by Waverly’s curiosity, Cole smiled softly as she replied, “Better than I expected, I guess… With what we found, Clootie’ll be lucky to avoid the hangman’s noose.” Just thinking about the number of lives Clootie had ruined made Cole’s stomach turn though, and before she could censor herself, she said, “I almost wish I could be there to see it… that look in his eyes when he realizes he’s gonna swing for what he’s done.” Her tone was harsh and cold, even to her own ears, but when she saw Waverly flinch, Cole realized she hadn’t just sounded harsh; she’d meant to sound that way. She actually wanted to watch the life drain out of his eyes. The reasonable part of her thought that would be a good way to pay her final respects to the people he had killed, but there was that part of her that just wanted to watch him burn for his crimes.

Those feelings were surely dangerous, but as always, Waverly was there to talk some sense into her. Cole even relaxed a little bit when Waverly replied, “All that matters are the lives you’ve saved by stopping him…” The gentle reminder was exactly what Cole needed to hear too, making her remember why she did what she did. She’d originally taken the deputy job in Purgatory to try to right some of her own wrongs, but as time went on, she’d dedicated herself to helping other people instead. Certainly, her job still involved righting wrongs, but she was a protector too, defending people who couldn’t always defend themselves. Besides, stopping a man like Clootie wasn’t just part of her job; it was simply the right thing to do.

The darkness in Cole’s mind only lingered for a few more minutes after that. Honestly, the act of brushing Jane down calmed her considerably, but listening to Waverly talk about nothing, and everything, was nice too. Apparently, it had been a pretty slow day at Shorty’s, so Waverly had spent most of the day playing with Nicholas and Alice. Wynonna had dropped Alice off with her about noon, saying, it was time for a little ‘quid pro quo.’ Cole couldn’t quite believe Wynonna had been so articulate about it, but Waverly just laughed and said, “Well, she didn’t use those words exactly, but I was giving you the shorthand version… What she actually said was, ‘Mama’s getting loud tonight, so you better keep Alice at your place... She’ll be a nightmare tomorrow if she doesn’t get at least a little sleep.”

Now that, Cole could believe; she knew firsthand how unruly Alice could be if she missed even an hour of her afternoon nap. With how early it was, Cole figured Alice and Nicholas were both still down for the count, and Waverly confirmed that assumption only a moment later when she added, “Speaking of, if I don’t get her up soon, she’ll never get back to sleep tonight either.” Waverly left her to finish up in the barn then, and Cole hustled her way through checking over Jane’s hooves and getting her settled in with some feed. With the way Jane’s shoes were looking, she was probably due for a visit to Pete’s sometime soon. Cole simply added that to the ever-growing list of things she needed to see to, and then followed Waverly towards the house.

Of course, supper was already on the stove when Cole got inside; big green peppers, stuffed with beans and rice, and covered in sizzling cheese. From the spicy smell, Cole guessed it was another of Rosita’s recipes, but that meant, Cole was just that much more excited to eat it. It seemed that Rosita had a knack for making something out of almost nothing, and the stuffed peppers definitely didn’t disappoint. It was obvious there were only a few ingredients inside, but the way they went together made Cole’s mouth water for more. Alice and Nicholas seemed to enjoy their portions as well. Waverly had mushed up some beans and rice for Nicholas, but Alice actually had bits of pepper and some cheese on her plate too. A good bit of Alice’s food ended up down her front instead of in her mouth, but she was so adorable that Cole didn’t even mind having to give her a bath after dinner was over.

That was a pretty exhausting exercise though, as Alice seemed more interested in playing in the water instead of actually getting clean. In fact, Alice enjoyed her bath so much that by the time Cole was done washing her, she was soaked from head to toe too. The heaviness of her wet clothes weighed Cole down, but when Alice went streaking out of the tub and into the other room, Cole scrambled to catch up to her before she went barreling into the backs of Waverly’s knees. That was good timing too, as Waverly turned around then with a clean, cooing Nicholas in her arms. When Cole scooped her up, Alice laughed and screamed, but the noise didn’t seem to upset Nicholas in any way, as he just snuggled deeper into Waverly’s chest with a sigh.

The rest of the night was much the same; catching Alice before she could squirm her way off the bed or listening to her babble on about her ‘mama,’ and ‘dada.’ Again, Alice was just so cute that Cole couldn’t even be mad when she woke up the next morning more exhausted than when she’d gone to sleep. She knew she had a ton of things to do that day though, so she pushed through the fatigue, dosing herself with caffeine instead. She was so tired she had two cups of coffee before they even left the house, and she stopped by Shorty’s for more when she got into town. She grabbed an extra cup for Xavier, of course, but with the considerable bags under her eyes, Cole was sure he would realize that her kind gesture was a selfish one too.

Thankfully, Xavier didn’t seem to care about her ulterior motives, simply accepting the mug she offered him without a complaint. It seemed like it had been a long night for him as well. That may have had something to do with Clootie, who was murmuring loudly in the far-corner cell. Cole could only make out every other word, but she couldn’t help the chill that ran down her spine when she finally pieced it all together, finally understanding his muttered, “few come within the compass of my curse…”

At least it wasn’t long before Xavier was drowning Clootie out, saying sullenly, “He’s been like this since he woke up. Just the same thing over and over and over again. There was a point last night where I was pretty sure I was going to lose my mind...” Cole could hear the relief in his voice, but before she could respond, he quickly added, “…but, now that you’re here, we can get on with his execution…”

Thrown for a loop, it took Cole a second to reply, but when she did, she still sputtered as she said, “B-but, what about a trial? Aren’t— Aren’t you taking him to Denver?”

Unfortunately, Xavier didn’t get a chance to answer as Clootie choose that moment to throw himself at his cell doors and shout, “Let not your sorrow die, though I am Dead!” The maniacal laugh that followed chilled Cole to the bone all over again, making her shiver.

Through gritted teeth, Xavier drowned Clootie out again though, as he growled, “NO! No trial… Here!” At first, Cole could only stare at the paper that he unceremoniously shoved into her hand, but eventually, she started to make sense of the words in front of her. It was a telegram from Frederick Pitkin himself, the Governor of the great state of Colorado. It detailed the level of Xavier’s authority in the case against Bulshar Clootie, permitting Xavier to act as both judge and jury, if the evidence against Clootie could be verified by no less than three official witnesses. Cole figured they didn’t even need that with what they had on Clootie, but still, she stayed with Clootie while Xavier went out to get Doc’s signature. Of course, he would need Cole’s too, but apparently, he’d already gotten their first signature from Eliza the night before.

While she waited for Xavier to get back, Cole quickly found herself growing restless though. Clootie had taken up his repetitive mutterings again, but the cadence was _different_. It was almost like he was actually cursing her then, his words streaming out like a chant. Cole felt a strange energy starting to build in the air too, and for a second, she felt the overwhelming urge to run. Before she could follow up on the impulse though, the door to her office swung open and she heard a gruff, “Good God, does he ever shut up?!” Turning towards the interruption, Cole sighed as she watched Eliza make her way inside. The tension that had risen in the air dissipated quickly too, as Eliza added, “You’d think that after nearly six hours, he’d have muttered himself hoarse by now.”

Clootie obviously didn’t appreciate her snarky comments and started banging against the bars of his cell, screaming his head off as he shouted, “Away, You Inhuman Dog! You and that unhallowed Slave!” His tone was bitter and cruel, but it wasn’t hard for Cole to understand what Clootie was implying. Evidently, Eliza and Dolls had done a lot more than just sign papers the night before. When Cole looked back over at Eliza, she was obviously angry, but she was blushing too. She wasn’t denying what Clootie was saying either, so Cole figured his assertion, while crude, wasn’t inaccurate.

Honestly, after the firefight, and the pressure that came after that, Cole couldn’t really blame them for seeking each other’s _comfort_ , so to speak; she just wished she hadn’t had to hear about it like that. She wished she hadn’t had to hear it at all, but at least, it was good to know that Xavier had a reason to stick around after they were finished with Clootie. He was obviously a good man, and Cole thought he deserved to find at least a little bit of happiness in his life.

Thankfully, they were only alone with Clootie for a few more minutes before Xavier came strolling back through the door, now with two of the three signatures they needed. Naturally, that meant it was Cole’s turn to put her pen to paper, but she hesitated for a second before she signed her name. She wanted to take a moment to feel the gravity of what she was doing. Essentially, she was signing Clootie’s death warrant, and she felt like that moment needed to be acknowledged. Of course, she signed it; there was no doubt her mind that he deserved to die for the things he’d done, but what made that thought bearable, were the lives that would be saved by that swipe of her pen.

There was very little pomp and circumstance when Xavier finally lead them out of the Sheriff’s office. Cole simply followed along behind him; Eliza beside her, with Clootie sandwiched between the three of them. Of course, Clootie tried to draw attention with every step they took, shouting and cursing and carrying on, but as they made their way down the street, the townspeople of Purgatory barely spared them a second glance. Not a single person actually joined their procession. From the looks on their faces, Cole guessed that the folks in town had had their fill of death and didn’t wish to see anymore. It wasn’t like she could blame them. The memory of all those dead bodies lined up in front of the post office was still stuck in Cole’s mind, and the image of the Crofte’s burned bodies was right next to it. When they finally reached the gallows, there were only a couple of people waiting for them there too; just Pete and Kyle standing next to a simple pine coffin.

Not surprisingly, Clootie’s struggling and shouting continued all the way to the noose. His declarations were cryptic and sinister, but it was his last words that were the most haunting. Just before the floor fell out beneath him, he looked right at Cole and said, “If one good deed in all my life I did, I do repent it from my very soul.” It was clear that even as he stared his own death in the face, Bulshar Clootie didn’t feel guilt or remorse, only hate and malice, and that simply made it that much more satisfying when the rope didn’t instantly snap his neck. Part of Cole actually enjoyed the way he danced before he finally succumbed to his fate. She watched his lifeless body hang there for almost two full hours before she finally took out her bowie knife and cut him down; she wasn’t leaving anything to chance. She needed to know, without a doubt, that that monster was dead. She attended his body all the way to the cemetery, needing to see a demon like Clootie put in the ground too.

Naturally, Xavier wanted to make the trip to the cemetery as well, claiming that it was his ‘burden to bear,’ but after his night alone with Clootie, Cole knew he needed to rest; both his body and his mind. Of course, when she hinted at that, he tried to insist that he was fine, but when Eliza suggested they go take a nap _together_ , his objections dried up pretty quickly. They went their separate ways then, Eliza and Xavier heading towards Shorty’s, while Cole and Pete and Kyle made their way over to the east side of town. For the most part, Pete and Kyle were quiet as they dragged Clootie’s coffin along behind them, but when they reached the back of the cemetery, Pete eventually spoke up, saying, “Cole, maybe you should just let us handle this. You… you look like you might need a break too.” Cole couldn’t have that though; she wanted to see it through until the end. Just thinking about all the lives Clootie had ruined was enough to push Cole forward.

Suddenly needing something to do with all the emotions swirling around inside her, Cole insisted on digging Clootie’s grave herself, hoping that the finality of it would help her conquer the shadow hanging over her. It seemed that the deeper the hole got, the more Cole felt like that darkness would actually consume her, but eventually, she found the rhythm of digging soothing to her soul. Every scoop of dirt came with its own struggle, but by the time she climbed out of the deep, Cole almost felt like she was leaving her darkness down there too.

Even with that newfound lightness, the physical side of digging had still worn Cole out, so when Pete and Kyle offered to take over again, she reluctantly agreed; her mind was willing, but her body, simply, wasn’t. She couldn’t help the way she cringed as they lowered Clootie’s coffin into the hole she’d dug, and she actually cried when that first load of dirt splayed out onto top of his coffin. She forced herself to watch until every last shovelful was moved back into place though. She felt like she owed the people who’d lost their lives to Clootie’s madness at least that much.

That night, back at home and in bed, Cole cried again, but at least with Waverly there, her tears were swept away before they could sweep her away. The dark didn’t seem so deep when Waverly was kissing her cheeks and whispering, “i love you,” into her hair. Waverly gave her more than just reassurances too, eventually driving all other thoughts out of Cole’s head. With Waverly’s sweet mouth on her, it was all Cole could do to remember how to breathe, and it felt _good_ too; on so many levels. On the surface, there was the heat and passion and desire, but below that, there was love and life and _peace_. By the time she collapsed back on the mattress, sweaty and satisfied, Cole felt like nothing could touch her; except for Waverly anyway.

That serene feeling lasted through most of the next day too. When she pushed through the doors of Cryderman’s savings and loan, Cole had no problem demanding access to his records; all of them. He gave them to her too, falling all over himself as he did, thanking Cole for getting him out from under Clootie’s thumb. She spent most of the morning going through his papers, but after lunch, she brought Levi back with her, just for a second set of eyes. Luckily, Levi was very good with numbers and found several things that Cole had missed. Still, they didn’t find enough evidence to actually arrest Cryderman, as his records didn’t include any information about where Clootie’s money had come from. Of course, it didn’t really matter; a few days later, Cryderman was packing his things anyway. It seemed he’d already had his trial in the court of public opinion, and with no money left in his savings and loan, there seemed to be no reason for him to stay in Purgatory.

Shae was set to head out the day after that, so Gus invited everyone to Shorty’s that night for another one of her now-famous family dinners. She even closed Shorty’s to the general public that night, claiming that she didn’t want anyone else horning in on their time together. That was for the best really, because about half-way through the meal, Shae accidently outed Cole in front of the whole clan. Most of her family didn’t bat an eye, but there were a few people there that Cole hadn’t told, like Pete and Chrissy, and Rosita and Eliza. Obviously, Cole was mortified, instantly worrying about how they would react, but Pete was quick to try to dissolve some of the tension, clapping her on the back as he said, “It’s alright, Cole… I’ve known for a while actually.” Confused, Cole wanted to ask him how he’d figured it out, but before she could get a word out, he quickly added, “Chrissy told me last fall…”

That was a little shocking, that Chrissy knew, but Cole had a pretty good idea how Chrissy had found out. Waverly and Chrissy were close, and Cole had never explicitly asked Waverly not to tell anyone. She couldn’t be mad at Waverly for sharing her secret with her best friend; just like, she couldn’t be mad at Chrissy for sharing it with her husband either, especially because she and Pete were friends too. The fact that they were being so causal about it helped to allay some of Cole’s fears, and she figured if they’d known that long, and never said anything, she didn’t have anything to be mad about in the first place.

Rosita’s reaction was similarly nonchalant, though Cole noticed the significant look that she shot at Shae when she thought no one was looking. Cole didn’t really get a chance to analyze that for long however, as Eliza stepped into her space. She was mad, like spitting hellfire and brimstone _mad_. Her face was flushed, red with fury, and her fists clenched and unclenched as she barked, “You’re a… But you… Was I— UH! I can’t believe this!” Obviously unable to continue, Eliza stormed out of the room then; so fast that she nearly knocked Cole over when their shoulders bumped together. The provocation was clearly deliberate too, but Cole couldn’t fault Eliza for her anger, any more than she could have been angry herself. Eliza had every right to feel betrayed; Cole had betrayed her trust by not telling her.

Honestly, Cole had been trying to find the right time to tell Eliza anyway. Of course, she wished she could have done it in private, but now that the cat was out of the bag, there was no going back. She surveyed her family for only the briefest of moments then, drawing strength from them before she excused herself, intent on going after Eliza before she got too far. She wasn’t sure where Eliza had gone, but she knew she needed to find her; she needed to explain, to apologize.

Trying to think logically, Cole checked in the Sheriff’s office first. It was probably the closest, private place, and with how upset Eliza had seemed, Cole felt like she would be looking for somewhere to be alone for a few minutes. Luckily, or rather unluckily, Eliza was inside, and she was pacing back and forth in front of Cole’s desk. The first thing Cole noticed was the pistol in Eliza’s hand, but the second thing was that pistol pointed right on her head. On instinct, Cole put her hands up, even as her heart started pounding in her chest. She could see that the hammer on the gun wasn’t pulled back, so she didn’t think Eliza would actually shoot her, but Cole wasn’t taking any chances either. She took in a deep breath, trying to calm her own self down, before she said, “Eliza, just think for a second… Think about what you’re doing…”

At the sound of her voice, Eliza’s hand dipped just a touch, and the barrel of the gun tipped with it, until it was pointed at Cole’s chest instead of her head. That was a start, but Cole knew she needed to keep going; she needed to remind Eliza who she really was, and then they’d be fine. Of course, an apology was in order, so Cole decided to start with that, quickly saying, “I’m so sorry, Eliza. I… I should have told you myself.” At that, the pistol in Eliza’s hand drifted just a little lower; this time down towards Cole’s gut, so Cole kept going, softly adding, “You— You deserved to know who you were working with… who you were trusting your life to… I violated that trust, and I understand that I’ll have to work to get it back again, but I want to try… if you’ll let me.”

By the time Cole was finished, the barrel of Eliza’s gun was pointed straight down, and Cole finally put her hands down too. She still didn’t move any further into the room; that is, until Eliza eventually said, “I always wondered why I never saw a… I mean, you know, a bulge… _down there_ … Well, I guess, now I know.” That seemed like a strange thing to say; it seemed like a strange thing to be thinking about too, but Cole figured everyone processes shock differently. Maybe, Eliza was just trying to rationalize.

Either way, Cole needed to try to steer the conversation away from _down there_ and simply said, “Yeah, now you know… but it’d be nice if you didn’t tell anyone else. If this gets around… well, some people can be pretty small minded, if you know what I mean.”

Cole watched as Eliza’s expression became very serious then, like she was actually considering outing Cole to the whole town, but eventually, Eliza just ginned at her and said, “Don’t worry Cole. I know what it’s like to be _different_ … Rest assured, I won’t be spreading this around.”

Utterly relieved, Cole finally made her way fully across the room then, shaking Eliza’s hand and saying, “Thanks, Eliza. You’re a better friend than I gave you credit for… I won’t take advantage of that again.” Eliza gave her a firm shake and nod in response, and then, that seemed to be that; they made their way back over to Shorty’s, like nothing had happened.

It seemed that Shorty’s was where everything was happening that evening though, as Cole found Rosita and Shae locked in a heated conversation when she got back inside the bar. She wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but they weren’t exactly being quiet either, so Cole found herself a little dumbstruck when she heard Shae say, “You could ask me to stay, you know…”

Only a second passed before Cole heard Rosita reply, a little lilt in her voice as she said, “Well, if I did, would you?” Cole didn’t even have to look over to see Shae nodding; the gesture was so euthanasic that she couldn’t have missed it from the next county over. She didn’t miss the way they came back to the table either, hand-in-hand like new lovers.

It seemed that not much gets past Waverly either, as she leaned into Cole’s side then and said, “Looks like we might be getting a new neighbor…” As Shae and Rosita settled in at the table across from them, Cole thought that they actually made an attractive couple, even with Rosita’s rough edges and Shae’s quiet refinement. Naturally, she wondered what it would be like having her ex-lover as a neighbor, but Waverly seemed to be fine with it, so Cole decided not to worry about it too much. Maybe it would be nice being able to have Shae in her life again.

By the time they went their separate ways that evening, Cole found she was actually grateful for Shae’s slip up, happy that it seemed to be working out for everyone. Pete and Chrissy both gave Cole a big hug before they left, all smiles as they made their way towards the door. Shae and Rosita both thanked her before they made their way upstairs to Shae’s room, but for what, Cole wasn’t quite sure. Ultimately, she figured if they wanted to say, ‘thank you,’ the least she could do was respond with, ‘you’re welcome.’ Eliza and Xavier went off together too, and Cole smiled when she realized she was probably getting two new neighbors that night.

Over the next few days, things were still a little tense with Eliza, as she made a more than a few sideways comments at Cole, but it seemed that Eliza was a lot like Wynonna and used humor as a coping mechanism. So, Cole simply tried to take her little quips for what they were; an askew form of acceptance. She guessed that if Eliza really had a problem with her, word of Cole’s little _secret_ would have gotten around by then.

Of course, word of the shootout in town, and Clootie’s subsequent execution, did spread, and with it, so did Cole’s reputation. The following week, Levi flagged her down on the street one morning, saying he had something she really needed to see. Thinking there was a new wanted poster or something like that, Cole easily followed him into the post office, but when he handed her a newspaper instead, Cole was immediately confused. It was just a small, weekly publication from Pueblo, but with a headline like, ‘Local Flatfoot Takes Down Mastermind,’ it would certainly catch people’s attention.

Before she knew it, Cole had people coming from all over just to talk to her. The Denver Tribune even sent a reporter all the way down to Purgatory specifically to interview her. He asked a ton of questions, mostly about where Cole had come from and her job as Sheriff, but when he realized Cole was married to Waverly _Earp_ , he had a thousand more. She answered all of those questions too, eventually telling the reporter all about when she’d helped Wyatt and Doc to take down Lou in Dodge. A few days later when she got her copy of his article, she gasped when she read his headline; ‘Earp Heir Brings Law and Order Back to Southeast Colorado.’ Being called the ‘Earp Heir’ was a bit shocking, but after a few minutes of consideration, Cole found she didn’t mind the title; if anything, it made her feel honored. She figured if she turned out to be half the Sheriff that Wyatt was, she was doing something right.

For weeks after that, crime in Purgatory was nonexistent; there wasn’t even a drunken fist fight to break up the monotony. Cole couldn’t actually complain though; the peace was… peaceful. Most days, she simply rode around the countryside, visiting with folks and lending a hand when she could. She spent some time helping out around town too; replacing broken windows and digging spent bullets out of people’s businesses. She even spent a few days with Pete, learning how to make horseshoes; a skill she’d always wanted to master. Of course, the first few she made wouldn’t have maybe fit on a Clydesdale, but after a little practice, she managed to make a decent set for Jane. She still had Pete put them on, but Cole was proud, nonetheless.

The best part of that peace, however, was that Cole was home for supper every night. Honestly, she stopped in to see Waverly and Nicholas whenever she wanted to; with not much else to do, it wasn’t hard to find time to pop over to Shorty’s for a snack in the middle of the afternoon. So what, if she then spent the rest of the day perched on a bar stool chatting with Waverly in between customers. She figured the local bar was just as good a place as any to hang around; at least, that way she could listen to all the gossip around town. Naturally, most of the rumors were mundane or untrue, but Cole was happy to hear that Champ Hardy had finally gotten himself back together and had taken a temporary job as a cowhand on the Tate’s farm. That seemed to be working well for him too, as about two weeks after that, Cole saw him and Hetty Tate, smooching in the back-corner booth at Shorty’s.

As spring gave way to summer, the weather turned nicer, and drier, and Cole found herself spending just as many days on the homestead as she did in town. With Eliza on the payroll, and Xavier staying in town indefinitely, Cole didn’t even feel guilty about shirking her responsibilities in order to spend some time working on her house. She kept Nicholas at home with her those days too, thinking it would be easier for Waverly if she didn’t have to worry about him while she was working at Shorty’s. Now that Purgatory was getting a train station in town, Shorty’s was busier than ever.

Cole used her ‘alone’ time wisely, however. She finished the added room on the back of their house in only two weeks’ worth of days. She was pretty proud of it too. The floor was mostly level, and the roof had the good pitch to handle the rain. The thing she was most happy with though, was the door that linked the room to the rest of the house. It was level too, and it closed and latched. For the time being, the walls were still just rough timber, but with winter still months away, Cole considered the room livable, nonetheless. She certainly enjoyed the new _alone time_ that the added room afforded her with Waverly. With Nicholas sleeping soundly, in his own room, Cole got to enjoy time with Waverly almost every night.

It seemed that everything was just as it should be, and Cole couldn’t have been happier about the way her life had turned out so far; a loving wife, a beautiful son, and a home to call her own. Of course, she really should have been expecting that shadow that had once hung over her to return, but when it did, instead of feeling a thirst for blood or a need for retribution, Cole was too heartbroken to feel anything at all. She was four days into the construction of a new outhouse when she felt like part of her world, simply, came crashing down.

The first day was all digging, digging, digging; so much that Cole thought she’d dug halfway to China by the time she was finished. Lining that hole and laying out the floor took up most of the next day, while installing the walls and putting up the roof took up most of the next. By the end of that third day though, all that was missing, was the seat. Cole didn’t just want a piece of wood with a hole in it, however; she thought a little contour might make sitting on it more… comfortable.

It didn’t take long to dry-fit the lumber she was going to use, and then cut a hole to get started, but sanding the curvature was taking a lot longer than she thought it would. She was so engrossed in getting it just right, that she didn’t even notice when a wagon appeared on the horizon. In fact, it wasn’t until she heard a horse whickering on the other side of the house that Cole realized that she wasn’t alone on the homestead anymore. Even still, she barely managed to get her head up before she heard someone calling out, “Mister Haught? Are you home?”

The voice sounded feminine; an older woman if the roughness in her tone was anything to go by, but it also wasn’t a voice Cole recognized. For a stranger to ride all the way out the homestead, they must have wanted something awfully important, so Cole quickly threw on her overshirt and then scooped up Nicholas from his blanket bed in the grass only a few feet away. He wouldn’t be pleased about the interruption to his afternoon nap, but Cole wasn’t about to leave him alone either. Perching his sleepy body on one of her hips, Cole started to make her way around the end of the house then, trying not to jostle him anymore than was necessary.

Still, he was grunting and shuffling in her arms in no time. She simply moved him in closer to her body and kept going though, needing to know who she would find when she turned the corner on the house. She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting, but Cole smiled when she saw a poised-looking, middle-aged woman standing on her porch. The woman hadn’t seen Cole yet though, so she finally called back, “I’m Cole Haught, ma’am… What can I do for you?”

The woman turned Cole’s way then, smiling herself as she made her way back down the porch steps. Cole took a few more strides too, and eventually, they met in the middle of the yard. When they stopped in front of each other, the woman finally said, “Nice to meet you, Mister Haught. I’m Misses Patrick Crofte…” If she said anything else after that, Cole didn’t hear her. The name was enough to tilt her world sideways, a crushing sort of dread instantly weighing her down. It was obvious why Misses Crofte was there; days had turned into weeks and weeks had turned into months, but someone had finally come to see about Nicholas.

On instinct, Cole clutched Nicholas a little tighter to her hip; part of her knowing that she needed to cherish what time she had left with him. That time seemed to grow even shorter too, when Misses Crofte eventually reached out for Nicholas, obviously wanting to hold him. Cole could barely breathe as she stepped closer and handed him off, numbness overcoming her senses the instant he left her arms. Then, all Cole could do was watch as Nicholas squirmed and cried in Misses Crofte’s arms instead. It made Cole feel even worse when Misses Crofte fussed over him until he calmed down.

Once he was quiet, Misses Crofte looked up at Cole again. There was a twinkle in her eye and smile on her lips, but Cole didn’t feel any of that mirth; she felt like she was dying, having to watch her son be comforted by someone who was, essentially, a stranger. It wasn’t until Misses Crofte said, “You have a very beautiful son, Mister Haught… Honestly, I’m relieved to see my nephew in such capable, loving hands,” that Cole snapped out of her stupor.

Physically shaking off the shock, Cole still blustered when she tried to reply the first time, stuttering over herself as she tried to accept the compliment. “Well, I— Yes… Tha-thank you, ma’am… I— He—” was as far as she got before she cut herself off, realizing that she needed to get ahold of herself before she tried again. She simply couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. She’d been so sure that this woman was there to take Nicholas away, that Cole hadn’t even considered the idea that Misses Crofte just wanted to check on him. That realization sank in pretty quickly though, and she smiled as she finally said, “Thank you, Misses Crofte… We’re, uh, we’re very happy to have him too.”

A brief look of confusion crossed the woman’s face, and she glanced around as she said, “We?”

Instantly understanding, Cole hurriedly replied, saying, “My wife, Waverly… she’s in town. She works at Shorty’s, the local saloon.” That seemed to give Misses Crofte the wrong idea though, as she grimaced like she’d just smelled something rotten, but Cole was quick to add, “Shorty’s is more of a restaurant and boarding house, but they do sell liquor too.” She was trying to say it wasn’t a brothel, without actually coming out and saying so, and she smiled when it seemed her point had been made.

Misses Crofte was smiling too as she said, “Well, I guess that’s alright then… It’s actually nice to see a man secure enough to let his wife work.” There didn’t seem to be any bitterness to that statement, but Cole still felt a little awkward until Misses Crofte continued, “And, what do you do, Mister Haught?”

Without even having to think, Cole said, “Please, ma’am, call me Cole. We’re practically family, now right?” Misses Crofte chuckled a little at that and nodded, but didn’t say anything, so Cole answered her question instead, saying, “I’m the Sheriff in town actually. I’m just taking the day to put the finishing touches on a new outhouse. I, uh, already finished Nicholas’ room last week… Would you like to see it?”

The smile on Misses Crofte’s face widened and she shifted Nicholas over onto her hip as she said, “I’d love that. Please, lead the way.” Cole did just that too, thinking about how lucky it was that she’d cleaned up a little bit after breakfast that morning. They chatted back and forth as they made their way through the living area and into Nicholas’ room. Cole learned that Misses Crofte’s first name was Mary, and that she’d lived in Robinson her whole life. That surprised Cole a little bit; Mary lived only a days’ ride away and it had still taken her so long to come to see about Nicholas. She wasn’t going to question the timing though, not when it meant that Nicholas was there to stay. When they reached Nicholas’ room, Mary seemed pleased too, saying, “Well, it seems big now, with just a basinet and a rocking chair, but I guess he’ll grow into it.”

The comment made Cole smile, and before she could really think about what she was saying, she said, “I hope so, Mary. He’ll probably be the only one we have, so…” She cut herself off again, but she grimaced internally when she realized how much she’d given away in just those few words.

Scrambling for a way to gloss over what she’d said, Cole floundered and coughed, but thankfully, Mary didn’t react how Cole thought she would. Instead, Mary’s tone turned soft and gentle as she said, “Patrick and I tried for four years before we had our son, Brian.” Mary paused to flash Cole a knowing smile before she said, “It’ll happen if it’s meant to, just don’t give up trying.”

Of course, Mary didn’t know that having more children was physically impossible with the way things were, but Cole also had enough sense not to come right out and tell her that. She simply smiled back instead, and said, “Thank you, ma’am… We won’t.”

Their easy conversation turned a bit awkward then, but thankfully, Nicholas choose that moment to start whining and whimpering, distracting them both from the moment. Cole had a pretty good idea why he was upset, but she let Mary hold him for a few more seconds before reaching out for him. Mary gratefully handed him over, offering Cole a little sheepish smile. Cole’s suspicions were confirmed a moment later too; Nicholas’ diaper was definitely soiled, at least if the way he smelled was any indication. Knowing that the interruption to his afternoon nap had disturbed his schedule, Cole figured that it wouldn’t be long before he was inconsolably wailing. Trying to avoid that, Cole invited Mary to sit and wait for her while she got him changed and put down to finish his nap, but Mary simply said, “Oh no, I won’t intrude on you any longer. I should be getting back to town anyway… I’ve still got to find somewhere to sleep tonight.”

Bouncing Nicholas on her hip to try to calm him, Cole smiled gratefully as she said, “Well, Shorty’s is about the only place in town that rents rooms, but if you hurry, you’ll probably catch Waverly before she leaves. Just tell her who you are, and I’m sure she’ll make sure you’ve got everything you need.”

Mary’s smile was grateful too, as she replied, “That sounds lovely… Maybe I could come by again tomorrow? I’ve got to get started back to Robinson around noon, but I could stop by for a few minutes in the morning…”

A little confused, Cole hesitated before she answered. She wasn’t sure why Mary would want to visit again, but it wasn’t like Cole could deny her access to her nephew. She found she didn’t really want to either; Mary seemed like a tender woman, easy to trust, and if she wanted a place in Nicholas’ life, Cole decided she’d be all the happier for it. The only problem was that Cole knew Eliza was expecting her in the office the next day. She also knew that she couldn’t shirk her duties just because she wanted to stay home for another day. It was one thing when she had work to do around the house but lingering on the homestead just to accommodate Mary’s request seemed like a bit much. Figuring some sort of compromise might be best, Cole finally replied, “Well, I’m on duty tomorrow, so how about I save you the trip out here and we’ll just meet you in town for breakfast in the morning? At Shorty’s, say about eight or eight-thirty?”

Thankfully, that seemed acceptable, Mary nodding understandably as she said, “That sounds just fine to me… Well, I can see myself out, Cole. You have yourself a good night, alright?” Shaking her own head, Cole smiled again as she followed Mary to the front door anyway; it just wouldn’t be polite not to show the lady out. Nicholas buried his face in her chest and started bawling, obviously upset about being further away from his clean diaper, but Cole just pulled him in a little tighter as she waved goodbye to Mary. Cole would cherish every second she got with Nicholas; no matter what his mood happened to be.

After that, it only took Cole a few minutes to get Nicholas clean and dry, but she frowned when she discovered a little bit of a rash starting to crop up on his inner thigh. She knew they had something for that though, so she quickly folded up the side of Nicholas’ bassinet and went to the kitchen to get the jar of lanolin that Waverly had brought home the week before. She was gentle as she rubbed the waxy substance over Nicholas’ skin, and his reaction was almost immediate. One moment he was screaming like he was in absolute agony, but then, the next he was almost calm again. Of course, he still seemed tired, grunting softly and squirming like he was trying to get comfortable, but Cole knew she still had an outhouse to finish too. So, instead of tucking him in in his bassinet, she wrapped him up in a clean diaper and then carried him back outside. She stretched him out on his blanket-bed again, laying down beside him to help him settle in. She never was much of a singer, but she found herself humming him to sleep anyway, and only once he was snoozing did Cole finally turn her attention back to the project at hand.

The sun had just started to dip below the horizon when Cole went to actually install the seat, but it seemed that her hard work had really paid off. The seat went in so easily that she considered not even attaching into the frame. She tamped a few nails through it anyway; she knew that if she didn’t something awful would probably happen. The last thing she wanted was to fall in, especially after the outhouse had been used.

It was almost fully dark by the time Waverly made her way home; in fact, it was almost late enough for Cole to start getting concerned about where she’d been. Apparently, Mary Crofte had caught her while she was still at Shorty’s, and they’d simply lost track of time talking. That was understandable; Cole thought Mary seemed easy to talk to as well. Waverly explained that Mary had told her all sorts of things that they didn’t know about Nicholas too; the most important of which being his birth date. Waverly was beaming with pride when she haughtily stated, “He’s an autumn baby too… September 8th, just like his mama.”

The coincidence wasn’t lost on Cole either, but the joy in Waverly’s voice was infectious too. She felt drawn to Waverly then, and didn’t hesitate to act on the urge, quickly moving into Waverly’s space as she said, “Well, let’s hope he’s as good-looking as his mama too.” The compliment made Waverly giggle, but she wrapped her arms tightly around Cole’s waist, nonetheless. Cole pulled her in just as closely, placing a quick kiss to Waverly’s forehead before simply nuzzling her face into Waverly’s hair. She smelled a bit like Shorty’s, like sawdust and stale beer, but Cole didn’t mind. She was just happy to have her family all there together.

They ate their supper all together too; Waverly had brought leftovers home from Shorty’s. The stewed ham with cabbage and carrots was really quite tasty, but of course, the biscuits had gone a bit hard, probably from sitting all day. Cole didn’t complain though; Waverly had been thoughtful enough to bring supper home with her, and Cole wasn’t about to ruin that sweet gesture by nit-picking the meal. Not surprisingly, Waverly eventually brought it up anyway, grumbling as she said, “I’d hoped the biscuits would’ve traveled better, but I ran outta shortening this morning… had to make do with butter instead.”

Choosing her words wisely, Cole eventually said, “I won’t lie; I was just thinking the same thing. They seem… I don’t know… drier than usual.” Thankfully, Waverly wasn’t offended; although, it probably helped that Cole chose that moment to shove a huge hunk of biscuit into her mouth. She tried to continue then, tried to say, ‘They taste good anyway,’ but most of what actually came out of her mouth was a just garbled mess. Her antics had the desired effect though, as Waverly laughed and smiled like she’d understood every word. Seeing Waverly happy and carefree, was absolutely worth trying to choke down that dry mouthful of biscuit.

After dinner, Cole took Nicholas over to the sink to give him his bath, and he actually seemed to enjoy it too, playing in the water in between rinses. Cole washed up what little dishes there were after that was done, while Waverly dried Nicholas off. Cole made sure to point out the little angry section of skin on Nicholas’ thigh, and Waverly simply cooed over him as she carried him into his room to get him ready for bed. Only a moment passed before Cole heard Waverly singing softly, “ _Don’t worry, my baby son, we’ll get that little rash gone._ ” The words only got more hokey from there, and the melody seemed familiar, like it had been borrowed from some other song, but it was still the highlight of Cole’s day; getting to hear Waverly’s sweet voice as she lulled their son to sleep was something truly extraordinary. Of course, getting to hear Waverly sing at all was special, but knowing that Waverly would probably be singing a lullaby every night for the foreseeable future made the moment feel that much more important.

Over time, Waverly’s singing became gradually softer and softer; until, eventually, it stopped altogether. Waverly emerged from Nicholas’ room a few minutes later, tiptoeing as she made her way over to Cole on the couch. When Waverly didn’t make moves to sit down beside her, Cole was a bit confused, but then she saw the way Waverly was looking at her. She quickly realized that cuddling on the couch wasn’t in the cards for the rest of their evening.

Taking Waverly’s outstretched hand, Cole rose automatically, but she quickly found herself crowding into Waverly’s space. That look, those _come-hither_ eyes and that mischievous smirk, just did things to her. It was a look that she could read like her own name too; Waverly had something new she wanted to try. Up until then, that look had only ever brought Cole to heights that she never thought she’d reach, so when Waverly started to lead her towards the bedroom, Cole followed happily, like a puppy on a leash.

Watching Waverly’s hip sway almost had Cole drooling by the time they reached their bed; imagining that shapely backside swishing back and forth under Waverly’s skirt was entrancing. When Waverly finally paused in front of her, Cole snapped out of her stupor, only to find Waverly looking at her rather expectantly over her shoulder. Smiling at the silent invitation, Cole quickly stepped up to relieve Waverly of her dress, groaning at just thought of seeing Waverly without it. As she put her hands to work on the lacing at the back, Cole also used her position to press a few little kisses along Waverly’s bare shoulders too. Waverly giggled a little bit, as Cole mouthed over one of her more ticklish spots, but then, it was Cole who laughed when Waverly’s dress was finally puddled at her feet.

Underneath, Waverly was wearing some of the most garish undergarments Cole had ever seen. It was powder-blue, all fancy lace and poufy frills, with a light sheer fabric stretching between the two layers. When Waverly turned towards her, the first thing Cole noticed were the stiff peaks of Waverly’s nipples already poking out through the lace. When she swept her gaze lower, she saw that the frills around Waverly’s hips exaggerated her shape in just the right way too. It was a truly extraordinary sight to behold, the lingerie making Waverly look delicate and dainty, and delectable, all at once.

Of course, Waverly took Cole’s little nervous laugh the wrong way and she immediately scrambled to cover herself, but Cole was just as quick to stop her. Reaching out, she grasped Waverly’s wrists as she stepped forward, saying, “No, Waves, Please… You’re so— I don’t even have words for how beautiful you are.”

The frown on Waverly’s face instantly disappeared, and before she knew it, Cole was being pulled down into a deep kiss; one that couldn’t be misconstrued as anything other than pure desire. She gasped when she felt the sharp dig of Waverly’s nails sink into the back of her neck, but then, that breathe huffed out in a groan, when Waverly’s other hand slipped down in between them to cup the crotch of her denims. The friction wasn’t nearly enough to bring relief for the ache building there, but the sudden pressure threatened to upend Cole’s whole world anyway. She immediately found herself gasping again, when Waverly broke their kiss, pulling back only far enough to mutter against Cole’s lips, “If you think the view is nice now, you just wait…”

Those words sent a sudden thrill shooting along Cole’s senses, making her feel like she’d been struck by a lightning bolt. Whatever Waverly had planned seemed even more imminent then; the promise in Waverly’s voice sounding urgent, almost needy. Those words left her feeling a bit dumbfounded too, and Cole barely noticed when Waverly’s hand started to slide up her body; that is, until Waverly’s fingers were fisted in the front of her shirt and Waverly was using that new leverage to push her back towards their bed. Landing with a huff a moment later, Cole managed to get her hands splayed out behind her, but even still, she barely kept herself from falling flat on her back. She was glad she did though, because not even a second later, Waverly was dropping to her knees in between Cole’s feet.

Seeing Waverly kneeling before her like that, verged on being overwhelming, but Cole couldn’t seem to focus past that mischievous smirk on Waverly’s lips. The look of abject hunger in Waverly’s eyes definitely competed for her attention too. Waverly’s pupils were so wide that almost all of the honeyed brown that Cole was used to seeing was gone. Distantly, Cole felt the buttons on her jeans start to pull apart then, but still, she couldn’t look away; the dark look in Waverly’s eyes had her well and truly entranced.

When fabric began to bunch under her butt, Cole instinctively lifted her hips, and she sighed as her jeans were quickly jerked down over her thighs. Thankfully, she’d slipped off her boots long ago, so there were no other obstructions as Waverly pulled her jeans the rest of the way down her legs. They landed on top of Waverly’s discarded dress a moment later, but Cole couldn’t worry about the mess they were making, not when Waverly leaned closer and started to work on the buttons down the front of her shirt instead.

The lace of Waverly’s lingerie brushed against the insides of Cole’s knees as Waverly worked, and the soft, silky contact made Cole shiver, sending another thrill of sensations racing along her nerves. Her shirt fell away from her shoulders a few moments later, but it seemed that having Cole mostly naked still wasn’t enough for Waverly. In a sudden rush, Waverly’s hands scrambled over Cole’s bindings, and before Cole could even blink, her chest was free of the restrictive garment. She found it a bit easier to breathe then, but of course, Waverly chose that moment to duck her hands down into the waistband of Cole’s long shorts; the unexpected move stealing Cole’s breath anyway.

With another quick shift of her hips, Cole’s underwear disappeared too; probably joining the growing pile of clothes on the floor, but Cole couldn’t be sure where they actually landed. Waverly’s darkened eyes had fixed on her core, and again, Cole found it difficult to look away. She could already feel how slick she’d become, but under the heat of Waverly’s gaze, she felt like she’d be dripping onto the sheets soon. The longer Waverly stared, the darker her eyes became too, and when Waverly’s perfect pink tongue flicked out over her lips, Cole twitched and groaned, her hips jerking forward at just the thought of Waverly dipping lower to taste her.

It seemed Waverly had other ideas though, as she braced her hands on top of Cole’s thighs and pushed herself back up to her feet. Starting to feel a little desperate, Cole barely managed to stifle the whimper building in her chest, but then Waverly actually stepped away from her, and Cole couldn’t hold back her whine anymore. Waverly seemed torn as well, hesitating for a moment before she finally turned towards the nightstand and started rooting around inside the top drawer. Cole smiled then, thinking about what was going to happen next, but when Waverly turned back toward the bed, Cole could see a little nervousness starting to creep up over Waverly’s features.

Her unease was alarming, and a bit confusing too; they’d used the rubber shaft in Waverly’s hands a dozen times or more since Waverly had first brought it home, but Cole had never seen Waverly look anxious about it. Thankfully, before Cole could get worried herself, Waverly’s sudden nerves seemed to dissipate. Waverly just smiled shyly instead as she settled herself back on her knees in between Cole’s feet.

Cole couldn’t even try to stifle her groan then, as she felt the bulbous end of the shaft start to drag against the skin of her inner thigh. Her hips jumped towards the contact before she could stop them, her body obviously already searching for that firm pressure higher up. Never in a million years would Cole have thought that she would actually enjoy having something like that inside her, but when the rounded end settled against her folds, Cole actually sighed in relief, thankful to feel her shaft finally slipping back into its rightful place once again.

It seemed that with how wet she was, it only took one push, and suddenly, Cole was _full_. She groaned again as her muscles quickly clamped down around the intrusion, and Waverly groaned too; however, Cole thought it sounded more like disappointment than arousal. Cole knew what that was about though; Waverly liked drawing it out, liked seeing Cole stretch and clench as the shaft slowly disappeared inside her. Of course, that disappointment didn’t seem to last very long, and before Cole could really process what was happening, Waverly’s lips were pressed against the longer end of Cole’s shaft.

Cole realized then, just how right Waverly had been when she’d said the view was going to get better. Seeing Waverly on her knees like that, lips sucking opened mouth kisses all along her length, nearly drove Cole mad. Her hips jumped again, forcing the tip to bump roughly against Waverly’s chin, and the break in contact was just long enough for Cole to get her head together. She couldn’t let Waverly do this; it was too awkward, too demeaning, and frankly, too stimulating. Just the first few brushes of Waverly’s lips were enough to make Cole feel like a racehorse standing in the gate. If Waverly kept going, Cole was sure she’d reach the finish line in no time flat. She sputtered as she tried to get all those thoughts out, before she got overwhelmed again, but even in her rush, all she managed was, “Waves… Waverly— Wait…” before her throat closed up again.

Waverly’s fist wrapping around the base of her shaft, and tugging, might have had something to do with that. Or, maybe it was the pitiful whine that leaked out of Waverly’s lips that did Cole in. Of course, the ‘why’ didn’t really matter, because when Waverly moved to dipped down again, Cole just didn’t have the willpower to stop her again; not with the base of her shaft rubbing against her clit in just the right way. The rounded end wiggled and shifted inside her too; the movement driving Cole on with every nudge against her front wall.

As good as it felt, Cole couldn’t help but feel just a little guilty too. By that point, she was sure the rough floor was digging into Waverly’s bare knees, and when she saw Waverly’s brow furrowed like she was in pain, Cole’s guilt spiked. She simply couldn’t enjoy herself when Waverly was so obviously uncomfortable. Reaching down deep, Cole found the fortitude she needed to thread her fingers into Waverly’s hair and pull her back. Waverly whined again, and that made Cole feel even more guilty, but she held her ground, gasping as she said, “Y-you don’t have to… to do this, Waves. We can just, you know, like always.”

Even though her words lacked elegance, it seemed Cole managed to make her point, because only a second later, Waverly said, “I know I don’t _have to,_ but I wanted to… I want to make you feel good.”

Cupping Waverly’s chin with her other hand, Cole said the only thing she could then, simply, “You always do, baby… no matter what we do.” It was true too; just being in Waverly’s presence made Cole feel like she’d won a prize, and the fact that Waverly cared so deeply about her pleasure, made her want to shout her love from the mountain tops.

Unfortunately, Waverly didn’t seem to accept that as an answer, and she whined again as she replied, “But I’ve been thinking about this for we-eks. Really, since the first time we… I mean, I just thought you’d like _it_.”

Hearing the pleading edge in Waverly’s voice, Cole almost broke, almost used her grip in Waverly’s hair to push Waverly back down over her lap, but then Waverly awkwardly shifted her weight, and Cole suddenly remembered why she’d stopped Waverly in the first place. A little grimace crossed Waverly’s lips too, and Cole couldn’t seem to get her words out fast enough then as she quickly said, “God, Waves. How could you even— Of course, I liked it… I just don’t think your knees agree.”

Waverly’s shy smile soon returned, and Cole thanked her lucky stars that she’d said the right thing. She helped Waverly up then, her hands eventually moving to Waverly’s hips to hold her up while she stretched. Cole was afforded yet another beautiful sight then; Waverly’s long, willowy muscles straining against her skin as she stretched her arms up over her head. Waverly pressed up on her tiptoes too, elongating her legs so that every muscle was taught at once, and the display had Cole raring to go all over again.

The only problem with the view, was that it was still obstructed. As much as Cole appreciated Waverly’s lingerie, she wanted more, so she quickly added, “Maybe you should take this off, huh? I’d hate for it to get ruined.” She tried to make rushed her words sound sexy, but really, Cole knew it was a flimsy excuse for getting Waverly naked. Even the finest lace was washable, but she felt weird about just coming right out and saying what she really wanted; which was, to feel Waverly’s naked curves pressed against her skin while they made love.

Thankfully, Waverly didn’t seem to mind Cole’s weak logic, and simply grinned at her as she spun out of Cole’s reach. The momentum sent Cole sprawling backwards, but when she got herself back up onto her elbows, she certainly didn’t mind her new view. In fact, she could barely think past the slow swivel of Waverly’s hips. Hazily, she registered that Waverly had already pulled one of her shoulder straps down, and was working on the other one, but when that silk and lace started to peel down over Waverly’s hips, Cole couldn’t help but gasp. Waverly was _drenched_ ; the tuff of hair at the apex of her thighs glistened like grass covered in a spring morning’s dew.

Waverly’s arousal definitely gave Cole some ideas too, and before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “Wait, what about— Do you wanna…” She cut herself off before she could get very far though, suddenly embarrassed by what she was about to suggest. Instead, she just made a little circling motion with her hand, hoping Waverly wouldn’t actually make her say what she was thinking. Waverly frequently straddled Cole’s face while she used her mouth on Cole as well, but that position seemed somehow more vulgar with Cole’s shaft protruding from in between her thighs.

It seemed that Cole didn’t need to worry though, as a visible shiver that ran down Waverly’s spine. That was nearly the only answer Cole was going to get too, but as Waverly moved back towards the bed, Cole’s breath hitched too when Waverly finally said, “O—ok… scoot back…” Cole did so eagerly, sighing slightly as her shaft shifted and slapped against her lower belly. Waverly followed after her, crawling up onto the edge of the bed and then up along Cole’s side.

When their lips crashed together a moment later, Cole had to blink a couple times before she could get into it. Waverly tasted, not bad, just different; vaguely like Cole’s own slick, but with a strange aftertaste. At first it was too muted for Cole to really identify it, but eventually she figured it out; she was tasting rubber. It wasn’t necessarily unpleasant, just a little off putting, but Waverly didn’t seem to mind in the slightest; if anything, she seemed more enthusiastic than ever. So much so, that Cole could barely sneak in a few gasped breaths as Waverly proceeded to absolutely ravage her mouth.

Of course, their kissing couldn’t last forever, but as Waverly’s lips started to trail down towards Cole’s chest, Cole found she wasn’t exactly in a position to complain either. In the next second, Waverly’s lips closed around one of her nipples, and Cole cried out. The sharp sting of teeth shot through Cole a moment later, but again, she couldn’t even think about objecting. She loved it when Waverly got a little rough, a little desperate; in those moments, it was easy to see how much Waverly wanted her.

Waverly’s lips, and teeth, didn’t linger on her breasts for long, but Cole found herself moaning and sighing again anyway. Granted, that might have been because Waverly’s lips didn’t actually leave her body, just trailed down onto her stomach instead, mouthing over her shaft as well as her skin. Cole’s cries could just as easily have been blamed on Waverly’s knees finally coming to rest on either side of her head too. All Cole’s senses completed for her attention then, but in the end, she managed to focus on the soft, soaked folds hovering just a few inches above her face.

The evening had already been filled with so many visions of Waverly’s beauty, but to Cole, there was no more beautiful sight than Waverly just like that; flushed and puffy, her outer lips already spread open, like a thirsty flower just waiting for the rain to come. Not that Waverly needed any help in that department, Cole barely managed to ger her mouth open before Waverly actually dripped onto her chin. That first taste was always the sweetest, and the saltiest, but the combination just made Cole want to bury her face in Waverly’s slick heat even more.

Realizing there was nothing stopping her from doing just that, Cole quickly grabbed Waverly’s hips and pulled down. She was maybe a bit more forceful than she intended to be though, and soon, Cole had almost more of Waverly than she could handle. As Cole dragged her down, Waverly’s knees slid out across the mattress, and suddenly, all of her weight was resting on Cole’s chest. Now, Waverly wasn’t very heavy, but Cole already felt short of breath from all the gasping and moaning, so it wasn’t long before Cole felt her head start to spin. Whether that was from lack of oxygen, or simply, from arousal, she couldn’t be sure, but she found she didn’t care either; Waverly was already squirming on top of her, moving back up onto her knees.

The shift in weight was only a momentary reprieve though. Not two seconds later, Cole was gasping again when she felt Waverly’s fingers dig into the flesh of her ass. The rough grip drove her hips up, but when she heard Waverly gag, Cole immediately pushed them back down. She’d been so fixated on getting her mouth on Waverly that she hadn’t even realized that Waverly was already sucking her too. Now that she was focusing her attention down there though, Cole felt like she might explode if Waverly didn’t keep going. Her clit was throbbing for more friction, and her core was clenching so wildly around the bulb inside her that she was sure it would take much to push her over the edge.

Thankfully, Waverly didn’t seem to mind the momentary interruption, and another wave of pleasure washed over Cole when she felt Waverly dip back down over her lap. That delicious friction returned then, but even as Waverly started to bob up and down on top of her, Cole’s world narrowed again anyway; all her senses fixing on the flushed-red folds above her face, waiting for her touch. Jutting out proudly from underneath its hood, Cole could clearly see Waverly’s clit, and she gasped as she watched it twitch and pulse. It only took a few seconds to recognize that the ridged bud was throbbing in time with the bobbing of Waverly’s head.

That was maybe the most poignant moment of the entire evening too; realizing that Waverly was actually enjoying what they were doing. At first, the whole idea of Waverly using her mouth had seemed a bit odd, as Cole’s shaft wasn’t really a part of her, but of course, Waverly had always treated it like it was, like the rubber was just a natural extension of Cole’s body. Honestly, that was one of the reasons why Cole enjoyed using it so much too; just being able to feel how well she filled Waverly was like witnessing a miracle, but then Waverly would whisper something like, ‘ _you feel so good_ ,’ or, ‘ _you’re in sooo deep_ ,’ and the illusion would become just that much more solid, just that little bit more _real_. Every time Waverly peaked with those words on her lips, Cole swelled with some much pride that she couldn’t help but to follow right after her.

A sudden, choked whine snapped Cole out of those thoughts though, and she quickly realized that she’d been inadvertently teasing Waverly with her heated breath. She could feel Waverly’s thighs trembling against her ears, and she could smell the wet, musky heat just beyond her reach, but it was seeing Waverly’s entrance clench and shudder around nothing that finally drove Cole forward. With new determination, she pushed past the swells of pleasure and affection and emotion, and instead, finally craned her neck up to make contact with Waverly’s core.

It was like tasting heaven all over again; salty and sweet, musky and heavy. Waverly tasted like honeyed brine, or maybe, salted molasses; the kind of flavor that had just enough mystery to it to keep Cole always wanting more. She’d loved it since the first time she’d sampled it, and she’d only grown more fond of it since then. However, it was also a taste that told Cole just how close Waverly was; that heaviness belying Waverly’s need almost more than the twitching nub against her tongue.

Knowing it wouldn’t be long before they were both falling over into bliss together, Cole wrapped her lips around Waverly’s clit and started to suck. Waverly’s reaction was immediate too; a sudden jerk of her hips followed by a deep, guttural moan. Cole sucked in a sharp breath through her nose as well, when she felt the vibration of Waverly’s moan zing across her own clit. Chasing that sensation, Cole reached up to grip Waverly’s hips again, and then pulled Waverly deeper into her mouth. Waverly let out another shocked moan, and Cole felt that one too; this time the vibration running all the way to her core, and the sensation drew another groan from Cole as well.

They began to feed off each other then, in more ways than one. A symphony of moans and sighs and gasps built up, until Waverly was basically riding Cole’s whole body. Her hips juddered and swooped with every pull of Cole’s lips or flick of her tongue. Waverly’s sweaty stomach grazed against the hardened tips of Cole’s breasts, and Cole could feel Waverly nipples dragging over her own stomach too. Lower down, Cole felt every suck, every lick, every nibble; each one driving her that much closer to the edge.

Finally, at the crescendo of the love making, it was the feeling of Waverly’s fingers digging into her ass again that finally tipped the scales, driving Cole into a wildly overwhelming orgasm. Instead of letting up though, Cole’s frenzied jerking tremors only seemed to spur Waverly on, and suddenly, Cole felt Waverly’s chin bump against the soft, slick hair that covered her core. The mental image of that alone was enough to make Cole’s eyes roll back in her head, but then Waverly moaned around her length again, and Cole thought she might black out from the onslaught of sensation.

Of course, she didn’t actually lose consciousness, but for a few moments, Cole definitely felt a bit dazed. Thankfully, it seemed that Waverly didn’t need much more from her to reach her own release. Only a few seconds later, Waverly’s hips dropped down into Cole’s face, and stayed there. The rest of Waverly’s body shook and trembled as she rode out the waves of pleasure, but Cole knew before Waverly had even finished that one orgasm wouldn’t be enough for her. In fact, she was hoping that Waverly would never get enough; Cole was sure she never would.

After a few moments to trying to catch her breath, Waverly eventually rolled off to Cole’s side, but Cole just followed her, rolling onto her own side before flipping around in the bed so that she was facing Waverly once again. The sight of Waverly’s puffy, well-used lips pulled an instant groan from Cole’s throat, and she couldn’t stop herself from dipping forward to taste them. The vague hint of rubber was still there, but Cole’s own flavor was mixed in too, and when that combined with Waverly’s sweetness still lingering on her lips, Cole groaned all over again.

Within seconds, Waverly was dragging Cole on top of her, breaking their kiss only long enough to beg, “Baby, please… I— I need you… Inside, please…” There was no way Cole was going to deny such a needy request, and she quickly grabbed ahold of Waverly’s hips to get herself lined up with Waverly’s entrance. Waverly had left her good and slick though, and Cole had left Waverly quite the mess too, so Cole’s first thrust simply slid past its mark. Cole glanced down in between them then, determined not to miss a second time, but as she drew her hips back to try again, Waverly let out a wild cry, choking out Cole’s name instead, “C-Cole, please… please… please…”

The desperate chant drove Cole forward again, but luckily, after only a moment of resistance, Cole felt herself finally start to slip inside. She tried to go slow, as Waverly usually needed a little time to adjust, but before Cole could even get halfway inside of Waverly, Waverly was already canting her hips up and begging again, “That’s it, baby… keep going… I need all of you…” As if acting purely on instinct, Cole’s hips immediately snapped forward, and Waverly keened as Cole immediately bottomed out inside her.

It was Cole who needed a moment to adjust then, but she actually tried to be quick about that. She skootched up onto her knees a little bit, drawing another moan from Waverly, but the sound choked off, when Cole gently encouraged Waverly to wrap her legs around her waist. Then, with Waverly’s feet hooked together behind her back, Cole slowly hunched forward, feeling it as inch after inch of her shaft slip back out of Waverly.

When Cole felt those feet tense against her back, she knew that she’d reached her limit, but that was just what she wanted. Waverly had asked for ‘all of her,’ and Cole was going to make sure that Waverly got exactly what she’d asked for. With a concentrated effort, she pushed back inside then, sighing as Waverly’s entrance greedily accepted her once more. Pulling out again, Cole picked up a long, slow rhythm then, sliding in all the way before slowly dragging her way out again. Waverly hips stirred more and more with each thrust, obviously impatient for more, faster, harder, but Cole also knew that she needed to work up to the kind of rhythm that would drive Waverly wild. She’d learned the hard way what happened when she went too fast too quickly; she’d definitely bruised her pride the night she’d accidently slipped all the way out and bruised Waverly’s inner thigh with the force of her next thrust.

Not wanting that to ever happen again, Cole focused instead on Waverly’s writhing form below her. The first thing she noticed was how tightly Waverly’s eyes were synched together, making the corners of her eyes crinkle up. Her brow was furrowed with deep wrinkles as well, but her mouth was hanging wide open as she panted and moaned towards the ceiling. Seeing Waverly like that, all wrapped up in her pleasure, made Cole’s hips speed up all on their own. At the escalation, Waverly’s head tipped back in a gasp, and Cole didn’t hesitate to bury her face into the sweaty side of her neck; she wanted to take Waverly in, even as Waverly was taking her.

Naturally, shifting her upper body caused a shift lower down, and Cole found herself grinning against Waverly’s skin when Waverly moaned deeply into her ear. Repeating the motion, Cole allowed her thrusts to speed up again, gasping herself when she felt her shaft dragging over that well-known, spongy spot inside of Waverly. Of course, she couldn’t actually feel it, but with the way Waverly was whimpering into her ear, Cole knew she was hitting that spot every time anyway.

Cole only managed three or four thrusts like that before she felt Waverly’s arms wrap around her shoulders. Then, there were fingernails digging into the back of Cole’s neck again, encouraging her on with a rough drag. The slight pain made her shiver for a moment, but she pushed past the tremors and picked up her pace again instead. She could feel how close Waverly was, could feel how tight she was getting with every thrust. If she was being honest, Cole was close too. There was no resisting the way the base of her shaft flattened and rubbed against her clit, making her breath hitch every time she pulled out for another thrust. Needless to say, when she pushed forward again, she nearly came anyway; the rounded end inside of her hooking forward as well, putting such blissful pressure against her own front wall.

With the competing sensations, it wasn’t long before Cole was teetering on the edge, but she held herself together; by a thread, of course, but she was determined for Waverly to release first this time. Obviously, that didn’t work out so well though. Moments later, Waverly broke Cole’s carefully constructed thread, when she whined loudly into Cole’s ear, “Give it to me, baby… Please… I nee—ed it!” Cole definitely felt broken after that, her thrusts growing wilder and wilder with each plunge, but Waverly didn’t seem to mind. If anything, Cole’s rougher pace was driving her wilder too. Waverly started chanting again then, her pitch rising higher and higher as she begged, “Please… Please… Please…”

It was the keening, pleading edge to Waverly’s voice that finally did Cole in, and she cried out into Waverly’s neck as she felt her pleasure finally sweep her away. Waverly followed only a second later, but in that moment, Cole couldn’t care about first and second. She was too consumed by her release to keep thinking, to keep thrusting, to even breathe. Her whole body jerked and shuddered as she crested the peak of her orgasm, but with Waverly still bucking below her, Cole managed to get some semblance of a rhythm going again. It was jerking and shuddering too, but it seemed to be just enough to guide them both through to the end.

That end was a long time coming too, as their shared release lingered on and on and on; until finally, when she really had nothing left to give, Cole collapsed on top of Waverly. She still held some of her weight up on her knees and elbows, but her shoulders and hips sagged so deep that she was sure she was squishing Waverly; at least a little bit. When she tried to push up though, Waverly’s nails dug into her flesh again, holding her down. If Waverly didn’t mind being squished, Cole certainly wasn’t going to complain. She loved feeling Waverly’s slick skin pressed against her own, loved listening to Waverly pant as she tried to catch her breath, loved the soft push and pull against her shaft as Waverly’s core fluttered through the aftershocks. She also loved this position because she knew if she lingered inside of Waverly long enough, Waverly would end up wanting her again before they were done.

That proved to be the case too, as only a minute or two later, Waverly started whispering some of the filthiest things Cole had ever heard. Not that Cole was going to complain about that either; it was like she was having some out of body experience when she heard Waverly whisper hotly into her ear, “I love how you’re still _so hard_ for me… makes me wanna ride you all the way into next week.”

Choking on the groan that that image invoked, Cole could only nod as Waverly used her hips flip them over. That groan tumbled out anyway when Waverly immediately settled over her hips and started to grind; first, in slow, soft circles, but Waverly’s pace picked up quickly, until her clit was rubbing hot and fast against Cole’s mons. Cole could feel every shift and circle too; the base of her shaft grinding down onto her clit every time Waverly moved.

At that point, Cole wasn’t even sure whether she was still inside of Waverly or not, but she didn’t wonder about that for long. Waverly’s hips grew wilder and wilder as time went on, until Waverly finally arched above her, choking out, “Shit! Cole, you’re gonna— I’m gonna… Fuck!” In that final shout, Cole felt a gush flow between their bodies, and she knew that her shaft had found that spongy spot inside Waverly once again. Waverly’s orgasms were always fairly explosive, but every time Cole hooked in against that spot, Waverly’s release became unmistakable.

Feeling Waverly come all over her, dragged Cole over into release as well, and they both writhed against the pitching waves that washed over them. Time seemed to stretch and contort around them then, and by the time Waverly was well and truly done, she’d ridden Cole almost long enough to trigger her for a fourth time. Sadly, Waverly collapsed onto top of Cole before she could quite get there. Cole wasn’t disappointed, however. She was already having trouble catching her breath; she wasn’t sure what would happen if she came again so soon. She’d been almost done in after her second release, but she simply hadn’t had the willpower to deny Waverly the pleasure that she’d so obviously needed. Thankfully, Cole hadn’t had to do much work from the bottom, but after her third climax in a row, she was afraid she might actually faint from the exhaustion suddenly weighting her down.

They were both a mess of come and sweat and slick too, so Cole knew she needed at least a little energy left to get them cleaned up before they fell asleep. She’d learned that lesson the hard way too; passing out laying in a puddle was not a pleasant experience come morning. It was a struggle, but she eventually mustered enough strength to lift Waverly off of her shaft. The soft sound of suction was drowned out by another of Waverly’s moans, but Cole still heard it when she finally slid free of Waverly’s entrance with a slick pop. A gasp followed; though, Cole couldn’t be sure which of them had actually made that sound. The feeling of her shaft bobbing rudely in between them was certainly a distraction, but when the hard rubber bumped into her oversensitive clit, Cole gasped again.

It was too much, the pressure almost painful, but before Cole could do anything to relieve it, Waverly was already slithering out of her grip and moving down her body. She let out a choked cry as Waverly’s fist wrapped around the base of her shaft, but she was helpless to resist as Waverly started to stroke her length. However, it seemed that Waverly understood that she was too sensitive for more, and only worked her over for a few moments before she started to pull. A moment later, another slick pop followed, but then, Cole found herself groaning as her entrance clenched around nothing; her body already searching for the stretch of her shaft again. She still yearned for it as she heard her shaft bounce of the floor, and land with a thud somewhere off to her right, but when wet warmth quickly covered her aching clit, all thoughts of where her shaft had ended up flew out of Cole’s head.

Mercifully, Waverly was overly gentle as she lapped at Cole’s core, licking away Cole’s come as well as her own. The little moans of delight that escaped Waverly’s lips started to stir Cole once again though, and while at first, she’d felt totally wiped out, Cole eventually found her fist clenching in Waverly’s sweat-slicked hair, pulling Waverly closer with every sweep of her tongue. Waverly’s moans rose to match her own then, and the vibrations ultimately pushed Cole over the edge one last time. Her release was so powerful that white stars flashed behind her eyes, but as Cole’s world began to darken again, she thought she heard Waverly whispering against her clit; something like, “it’s ok, baby… sleep… I’ll still be here in the morning… and every morning after that…”

~~~

Light was just barely peeking in through the curtains when Cole woke up the next morning. She had a smile on her lips, and an ache in her limbs; but, thankfully, the smell of clean sheets filled in her nose too. She realized she must’ve really been out, if Waverly had rolled her around in the bed enough to change the sheets, but she also figured she couldn’t be blamed for her lack of awareness. After four, truly incredible, orgasms, she was pretty sure Waverly wouldn’t have been conscious either.

As if thinking of Waverly, had conjured her, Cole sighed as a set of warm arms wrapped around her middle and squeezed. She felt Waverly burrow deeper into her back then too; Waverly’s nose eventually worming its way in between her ear and her shoulder. She shivered as Waverly huffed into her neck, mumbling, “you smell so good… all sweaty and sexy…” Those words dredged up all sorts of memories of how she’d come to smell that way, but when her core clenched at the thought, she groaned in discomfort. The ache wasn’t entirely unpleasant, but she was definitely sore enough that it didn’t feel good either. Not surprisingly, it seemed that Waverly already knew she was going to be sore, and drew back from Cole’s neck enough to add in a low whisper, “I bet you could probably use a bath though… something to sooth those sore muscles.”

As Cole followed Waverly towards their bathtub full of steaming water, all she could think about was how lucky she was; she had a wonderful wife, who loved and cared for her; in so many ways. She had a son; a beautiful boy, who she hoped she would get to watch grow into a kind, handsome man. She had a bigger family too; a sister in law, and a soon to be brother in law. She even had an aunt and uncle in law. She had loyal friends, and an even more loyal partner; someone that she could trust to watch her back, someone she could trust to make sure she came home to her wife and son at the end of every day. At first, Purgatory had just been somewhere to sleep and eat before getting back on the trail again, but what she’d eventually found there was so much more than just a place to rest. In Purgatory, with Waverly and Nicholas, and everyone else, Cole had finally found a place worth fighting for, a place to call home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... What'd you think? Was that worth the wait? I hope so, because I have a feeling I'm going to have blank-page syndrome for a while after this one. I have several ideas for what I want to write next, but I haven't actually started anything, so we'll see what comes out first... If you've got prompts or ideas or just wanna chat, come find me on Tumblr... username- NotTilItsFinished... or if you're really picking up what I'm putting down, come find me on Instagram... username- Pyrate0804
> 
> Until next time! <3


End file.
